Situazioni Awkward
by Jadeah
Summary: What do you do when you wake up one morning and realize that you've just been genderbent? Go find your best friend, who turns out to be Leonardo da Vinci, of course so he can fix it! T for swearing  and possibly slight sexiness. .
1. Chapter 1

With the dull scent of perfume which hit his nose, Ezio started to rouse from a another night's sleep. He couldn't help but feel strange, like something was different, but he couldn't place his finger on it. "Maybe it's just that damned dream." He grumbled to himself. His work had somehow snuck into his sleep, probing his dreams with such thoughts. This one seemed different, he had been fighting to save some courtesan along side one of his female recruits, and in the send he had been kissed by the prositute. Well he was sure of two things, he was minorly perverted, and that he needed to stop sneaking some wine before bed.

Where the scent of perfume had come from? He wasn't sure, unless the courtesan really did kiss him, and he just forgot or something. He pushed the idea that he did something last night and simply forgot aside and sat up in his bed. Feeling slightly top heavy, which was unusual. _Maybe just fatigue,_ he concluded, pushing aside some of his bangs to clear his vision of the strans that hung over his eyes.

His room just as he left it, his armor on a rack, and hidden blade on the nightstand. On the far side, his window was covered in a thick black curtain, blocking out any light and leaving the room dark and cool. Ezio yawned with a long stretch, groaning in content when he heard his spine crackle and loosen, then sighed sleepily as he pulled from his bed. The small, clinging desire to just curl back under his covers and return to his dreams seemed to hender him of his conscious mind.

He opened the curtains, and blinked as bright morning light streamed in, brightning his room and filling every last crevas with a warm glow. Some light reflecting off his mirror or even his armor, creating white or even a color spectrum of shapes on his cream colored walls and ceiling. Once again, the dream having found way back to his thoughts. What did this have anything to do with anything? He wasn't so sure, nor did he care at the moment as he reached for his shirt and boots before tugging up his trousers-which seemed to of grown loose and hung on his hips-.

He came over to the mirror in a few sluggish paces, and didn't look into it as he started to pull the white and thin fabriced shirt on and buttoned it up. Ezio turned and took old of one of his throwing knives, planning on, yet again, trying to shave down the stubble that always sat on his jaw. A couple times before had Machiavelli walked in and nagged at him for using his equipment for such, but he usually tuned him out. If Niccolo at least had to maintain facial hair on a daily basis, then he could talk, but the man didn't have anything what so ever.

He then looked back to the mirror as he brought the knife to his face, but froze as he found himself staring at his reflection. There was no beard at all, his chin had become more softer of a curve and jaw line forming more of a heart. His nose smaller and eyes larger as well as much more angular. His shirt hung loosely over smaller shoulders, and he scrunched the back up, giving way to the traces of a curved and delicate figure. And... _Oh god! Are those... breasts?_

The knife slipped from his-um her hand and clatched on the floor. Her eyes as wide as dinner plates as she took a step back from the mirror with a startled yelp, noticing that her voice having grown higher in pitch! From outside the door, she heard one of her recruits knock on the door, and she forced her voice to sound deeper and as much as her old voice as she could manage, "I'm not decent!"

"Ezio? Is something wrong?" That wasn't a recruit! Shit! Shit! Why does Machiavelli choose now to walk in on her? She was quick to throw on her robes, strapping on the armor and pulling the boots, which all in all were still the same size, then opened the window. She didn't look back as Machiavelli opened the door, leaping from the windowsill as the philosopher could barely ask, "What are you doing?"

Ezio fell downwards, and landed with a splash into the Tiber below. She then surfaced, she'd have to find Leonardo, and fast!


	2. Chapter 2

Machiavelli just stood there, leaning out of the windowsill as he tried to find Ezio. Why he had jumped out? He wasn't sure. And why did he sound like he had a cold or something? He didn't know. All he was aware of was that he was clearly in a rush and panicked about something.

Heavily sighing with assperation, he turned away from the window as some curious recruits were poking in to see what was going on, some chattering questions which he ignored as he started to search the room. All he could say was that something must have freaked the man out, because on the floor near the mirror was a discarded throwing knife. The other being that he was clearly too rushed to take his weapons along with him, seeing as his sword was on the table on the far wall next to a dagger, as well as his hidden blade sitting in plain sight on the nightstand.

"_Idiota_." He grunted as he picked up the hidden blade, then casted a glance back to the window. Surely he'd be at loss without his equipment. Then again, this was Ezio he was thinking about.

* * *

><p>After she pulled out of the Tiber River, she was soaked, the robes clinging to her body and only showing off her hourglass figure. Before anything else, she started to ring out the robes, ignoring the uncomfortable damp wrinkled fabric that now stuck to her skin.<p>

With a sigh, Ezio continued walked, trying to stray away from the main streets as best as she could to avoid any wandering eyes. The plan worked for a bit. She had managed to make it a bit a ways on the path, and soon would arrive. Where'd it go wrong? Well a thief came running into her, and vanished down the assortment of alleys, it was then she realized that the thief had just pickpocketed her! Ezio ended up chasing the man, and straight into the main streets, the thief being more difficult and running down another alley and past a patrol group, which, to her unraveling misfortune, she ran into one of the swifter.

"Hey wait!"

She didn't, all of her attention was on the thief, but consiting trying to run in misfitting clothes and the thief having a head start, it wasn't as easy as she'd originally hoped. Before she could manage to catch up, that guard caught her! Pushing her to the wall.

"Why'd you run, _bella donna_?" The guard questioned with an attempted suductive voice. His hands holding her wrists to the wall as he was unsettlingly close to her.

Ezio turned her face away, "A thief pickpocketed me. Now let me go so I can get it back."

The guard smirked, "Such entitlement, may I ask your name, _signorina_?"

Apparently just being blute wasn't doing much for her, she then glared as she tried to pull free, "Not one that you'd need to make use of." What was scary was the thought of what the guard would do if he knew who she really was, and if she was a man again, and actually looked her age instead of twenties.

That wiseass grin still on his face, and the rest of the guards having joined and watching with interest, the guard prosisted. "Why not you do a man a favor."

"And why not you do me one and leave me the hell alone, _bastardo_." Ezio spat, once again working to pull her wrists free.

"I'm afraid not," The guard hushed. "Why noy you do us both some good, and play along. I know you'll enjoy yourself."

By now, she had lost all patience for the clearly persistent guard, and slammed her knee up, hitting target. The guard let go, gripping what's probably been reduced now of his package and falling to his knees. Ezio took this as a chance, and ran, hoping to escape the guards as she searched for a place to hide. Settling with a haystack.


	3. Chapter 3

When she was sure the coast was clear, Ezio leapt from the haystack and continued to run to Leonardo's workshop. Giving up on her theft delema. Well you'd think it'd be easy now. Right?  
>Right?<br>Yeah right...

Once against, she crashed into someone, and stumbled to kee balance as she continued running, not looking back to see the person she had pushed out of the way.

"Wait-? What? Ezio!"

She cursed to herself as she reconized the voice of the victim being La Volpe! Even worse, he had always been faster! She didn't spare a look back as she raced down an alley to loose him, listening to his confused and questioning calls until she finally managed to loose him. She leaned against the wall, panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath from the long chase.

As her heart slowed to a steadier rate, she sighed heavily and turned to continue onto Leonardo's, only to find herself face-to-face with the master thief! Which had startled her as a gasp of surprise hitched in her throat. It was forchanate that she had her hood up, or he'd have seen her now woman feathures intantly.

"Ezio, why'd you run?" La Volpe asked, arms crossed. Ezio didn't even meet his violet gaze, too embarrassed by her current perdicament to reveal such. This lacking an answer caused the thief to ask, "Is something wrong?"

Ezio nodded, keeping her head low so the hood covered her face.

"Then what?" He didn't realize that La Volpe had looped a finger under her chin, but the hand moved back as if in shock at the discovery of her lacking a beard. "Did you completely shave or something?"

Cheeks reddening with embarrassment, she reached up for the edges of her hood, and pulled it off as she looked up with a mixture of annoyance, anger, worry, and fear bubbling into her expression. The thief only could react with a soundless "oh" as he stared wide eyed at the now woman assassin.

"Volpe, did you find... him...?" Ezio swung around in surprise as she saw Bartolomeo standing with shock depicted all over his face. What seemed like an eternity of an awkward silence later, the mercenary captain exclaimed, "Ezio's a _woman_?"

That only made her blush deep scarlet and she forced her hood back up to cover it. There was still Ezio's dignity! "Yes, Bartolomeo, somehow I've turned into a woman. And I have a pretty good idea what caused it." That damned Apple of Eden. Which she had stashed away in her pocket before jumping out. "Now can I go? I need to get to Leonardo's."

La Volpe nodded, "Then we'll come with you. Just to see if there is any way to fix this."

* * *

><p>"Leonardo?"<p>

The artist was staring down at his work on his desk, a hand on his bearded chin, but when he heard his friend, he looked up. "Yes Ezi- ooohhhh..."

There stood his friend, slimmer than usual, hair longer, cheeks reddened in embarrassment, and his clothes seemed looser on him than usual. The armor really missfitting and looked heavier now that they sat on his much more... er, how could he discribe it in a word? Feminine?

"We have a problem," Ezio said gruffly, his voice seemed forced. He opened a hand, holding the Piece of Eden. "I think the damned Apple did this."

Behind him_-her-it-something_ entered La Volpe and Bartolomeo. And he couldn't help but wonder, "What button did you press on that thing?"

Ezio casted him a dumbfounded look, as if he hadn't thought of it, and studied the orb in her hand, then pointed to a fractment that sort of looked like an hourglass. Then pressed on it, though nothing happened.

"Leonardo, have you seen Ezio..." Machiavelli had entered the still open doorway, closing it behind him as he stared at his friend with a look of confusion. This would be a long day...


	4. Chapter 4

"So, the Apple of Eden gave you a sex change?"

Ezio face palmed. Not wanting to explain to Machiavelli for the eightteen trillion_th_ time what had happened. "Yes Niccolo, it did. Now get that through your head before I grind your head into the dirt."

Bartolomeo, who had been next to silent for the past half hour, finally strangled out a laugh, "You know? The touch girl thing works for you."

Her friend had been sitting at his workbench studying the Apple while Ezio was explaining everything. The blonde man stood, leaving the Piece of Eden on the table. "Well, I don't know what there is to tell you. This is one puzzle that might take me a while to unlock."

The female-assassin blinked her almost golden eyes, "So I'm such like this?"

"No," Leonardo corrected. "Just until I figured something out. Until then, we'll have to find you somewhere to stay."

Ezio imidiantly shook his head, "Well I can't go all the way back to the Tiber Island hideout! One guard already tried to rape me as it is. I don't want to go through that every time I have to walk over to your house."

"What about here?" Machiavelli asked the red hatted artist cooly.

Said man shook his head, "I'm sorry, Salai has the only other avalible room."

"I don't think it'd be all so wise to place him in either the barracks or the Inn." La Volpe thought aloud.

Ezio stood up, "What about the Rosa in Fiore?"

For a moment, everyone just stared at him like he had three heads, then Bartolomeo laughed at the idea, La Volpe insisted that it was more or less a stupid thought. But Leonardo seemed to agree, "Yes, I think Ezio might be onto something, no one would notice him if he's with his mother and sister."

Machiavelli then offered to escort her there, and Ezio gave Leonardo a hug before leaving with him.

* * *

><p>Now at the door to the bruffel, Ezio felt nervousness prickle into the pit of her stomach. Worry for what her mother and Claudia would think made her fidgit. Regardless, she followed Machaivelli inside, easily finding her mother standed by the stairs in coversation with Claudia.<p>

Now seeing Machaivelli and Ezio coming, Claudia looked up. And then mother. Though it was the latter who greeted them, "Machiavelli, what are you here for?"

The much younger man greeted her politely, then asked, "I think we should find a more private place to speak of why I came here." Ezio suppressed a snicker, it really didn't take much a perverted mind to piece what he'd said into something else. Even Maria casted him a strange look. Machaivelli pinched the bridge of his nose, "Don't say it. Because that's not it. I'm here because of Ezio."

Claudia had been staring at Ezio, who once again had been tipping her hood down to hide herself. But neither of the two women argued Machiavelli's request as they walked into the back room. Ezio's sister first to ask, "No what is it?"

She felt Machiavelli pat her shoulder, and she delicately pulled her hood off. Her sister gasping and her mother silent. The stares of both combined burning holes in her.

Her mother touched Ezio's cheek, bringing her to look up at her and showing the dead consern on her face. "How did this happen?"

Ezio sighed shallowly, "I think the Apple had some side effects."

Machiavelli then explained everything, and how they had concluded that she'd be safest at the Rosa in Fiore. After a moment, her mother agreed, claiming that he was probably right to think such. Claudia mentioning that she could loan her a dress or two. Just the thought though of wearing a dress seemed just wrong. Completely and utterly wrong.

"Well, you can return to the hideout, we'll take care of hi-her." Claudia had to correct herself on the last word.


	5. Chapter 5

After Machiavelli left, Claudia next to dragged Ezio by the forearm upstairs and into her room, Maria following just behind the two. She couldn't say that she was happy about this change to her son, well she guessed daughter now, as it seemed beyond strange. But she couldn't say she was all so horribly upset either. He, well she, could be dead, right?

Inside Claudia's room now, she watched as she managed to pursade a very, _very_ reluctant Ezio out of the robes she was probably so used to accustium to wearing. Putting the armor side. Now she sat on the bed in illfitting trousers and a white shirt while Claudia was looking through her waredrobe. At last pulling out one of her older dresses from a couple years back.

"Here try this one one." She told her as she handed the heap of burgandy fabric and gold lace to her "brother".

Ezio stared at the dress as she asked, "Can't I just continue wearing my robes?"

Claudia shook her head, "Just play along, you'll blend in better."

This still didn't convince her, and she scofted, "Well I'd still like to be able to fight effectively."

The younger rolled her eyes as she told her, "I promise, it's only temporary. We can find you something else a bit later. But just try this on for now."

Ezio sighed, grumbling something about how redicule dresses were before taking the dress and walking into the bathroom. Though five minutes later, she was heard cursing and such, and Maria walked inside to see her fumbling around still trying to figure out how to put the gardment on. So she desided to help her out.

Another ten minutes, lots of curses directed towards dresses and the Apple, and trying to get Ezio to quit struggling around, they finally managed to get it on. Claudia smiled at her choice in the color and picked at some little frills to fix them. When she was content, she noted, "It suits for you."

Ezio only blushed deep pink, "I feel so stupid."

Maria couldn't say she was surprised. But it'd have to do for now. Seeing as they didn't have much else, unless Ezio was more content dressing in a courtesan's dress. Which she highly doughted. Sometime soon she'd take her out to the market and get something that would still fit a woman's appearence and get her to quit complaining. But mens clothes weren't an option.

"Yes, that's expected." Claudia noted. "Now we need to think of a name, since calling you 'Ezio' would tip off the guards."

"Eliza prohaps?" Maria suggested.

Claudia smiled, "It's different enough. I'm sure no one will suspect a thing."

* * *

><p>Leonardo sat in the workshop still studying the Apple, trying to figure out how it could have changed his friend. When he felt a hand on his shoulder, he merely shrugged the hand off and put his forehead in the cup of his palm with a sigh. He had no clue what it did, what Ezio did.<p>

"_Mistro_, it's late. You should get some rest."

The blonde ignored Salai's request.

"Please, you aren't helping by exhausting yourself." His apprentice reasoned. "At least take a break."

The inventer didn't move from his position, leaning on the workbench with one arm, the other hand on his face and rubbing his temples to sooth the headach he had.

"_Mistro_?" Salai sounded more worried this time about Leonardo's lacking a responce. He tugged on his sleeve and turned him away from the workbench and the Apple. Finally getting a look at the exhaustion engraved on the older's face. Dark circles provenent and eyes half open. "Get some rest."

Now looking away from the Apple, he was able to see that it was very, very late. The blonde nodded, dispite how frustrated he felt, his voice still came gentle, "Alright, I will. Maybe you should as well."

Salai smiled at his apparent victory, and walked away to his own room. Leonardo stiffled a yawn before shuffling to his room. He didn't bother to undress, he just kicked his boots off and laid down in his bed, letting the red satin hat fall onto the pillow and pull some stray strans of pale blonde hair with it. Sleep easily taking him.


	6. Chapter 6

Ezio woke up slowly, trying to prosess if yesterday was his dream or not. It was confirmed to be false as _she_ found herself in the Rosa in Fiore, still in a woman's body. She sighed heavily as she pulled out of the bed and stared at that death trap they called a dress.

Yesterday she had already almost killed herself just by that damned gardment twice. She had tripped on the skirt when putting it on and almost smashed her head on the table, and she once again tripped on the skirt and fell down the stairs. It was embarrassing as all hell, sqeezed the air from her lungs, and probably is gonna give her some serious claustrophobia. Which gave her the question, how the hell did women put up with this?

And that was just the dress alone! She had already been in some strange situation where a man had tried to flirt with her, which didn't blow over too well. We'll leave it at she was still trying to scrub the guy's spit off of her face. She had doughts that today would be much better. Serious doughts...

_Alright, I know what I'm doing this time. Maybe it'll be better. _Ezio tried to assure herself.

She picked up the dress and tossed it onto her bed before pulling off her bed attire, which was her trousers and the white shirt that she wasn't gonna just leave. Now bare, she started picked up the dress, about to put it on when Claudia came in! She was naked for god sake! She could have knocked! To cover herself, he held the dress in front of her body.

Claudia rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "Mother told me to hand you these."

Ezio was then given a courset and... ummm... panties... that made her cheeks burn as she snapped, "You could have knocked!"

This made her sister smile, "Lighten up, you're a girl, and my 'sister' what do you thinks going to happen?"

"I'd still like to have some privacy!" Ezio retorted.

Claudia chuckled, "Just get dressed, and try not to fall down the stairs again." She then turned and left Ezio, closing the door behind her.

With a groan of annoyance, she started to dress herself. Once again, almost sufficating, thanks to that courset. The dress was still a pain to put on, like last time. But she had managed to dress herself this time without any help. She tied her hair back in the usual ponytail, thankfully she had found her red strip of fabric, then came outside to find Claudia standing in front of the banaster.

"Oh good, you've managed to get yourself dressed this time." She teased light heartedly. Then she looked her over, "Maybe I can help fix you up a little."

Ezio raised an eyebrow in suspition to what she had planned. "What are you thinking?"

Though she wasn't given a proper explaination before her sister pulled her back into the room and sat her in front of the vanity. Realization hit her and she stood up.

"No make up!"

This made Claudia laugh, "I'm just kidding!"

Ezio crossed her arms and glared.

"Okay, so I wasn't. But find. Have it your way."

Ezio turned walked out of the room, and tried to go down the steps before she tripped on the skirt, yet again. At the bottom, her mother delicately picked up the front of her own dress as an example. So Ezio mimiced it and came down the steps a little bit easier, freed of the irritating dress front.

They two were joined by Claudia. Though it didn't take a genius to see that she was still smirking about the make up dispute. Maria though just kept a blind eye toward it.

"Sleep well?" She asked.

Ezio looked up from the billowing skirt that was cover her own legs, "By some stretch of the imagination, I managed."

Maria half hugged her, "It's not all bad, I promise."


	7. Chapter 7

Ezio looked up from the rug, which she had stared at and memorized it completely stitch for stitch, when Machiavelli came in and approached the three. She noticed how he, like she had as a man, managed to walk past the many courtesans without a single emotion of anything but business on his face. Maybe he had learned it watching her, or vise versa.

"Ezio, come, we must get to the workshop so we can try and fix this issue."

Ezio nodded and before she followed, Claudia had corrected him on the name. _Eliza._ The name seemed to taunt her like a scar on her waist from fumbling a knife in a dare with Fredrico. It was one of her first scars, and it had been over something so stupid.

Now outside, Machaivelli didn't seem to talk much until half way through the trip. They were passing the Panthion. And Ezio was half stuck in her thoughts, remembering having to climb down from the domed roof.

"So Claudia managed to talk you into a dress?"

Ezio glanced down as she forced the pink from her cheeks. The dress, on top of practically sufficating her, was also low cut and showed off her clevage. Which seemed even more humiliating. Consitering it was one thing to see it, it was a completely different to own them. "_Si_, but I wish they'd just let me wear my robes."

"I'm sure one of your recruits could spare something." Machiavelli noted.

"I'd rather I didn't." Ezio said in monotone. "I'm sure I can just get something soon." But then again, her money had been stolen by a thief, and the bookkeepers probably wouldn't reconize her.

Machiavelli sighed, "You're too proud sometimes."

With a sigh, she knew he was right. She and Claudia were both headstrong. Maybe a family trait. Correction, it was a family trait. Completely. "I know."

When they arrived at Leonardo's workshop, she found herself greeted by both the artist and La Volpe. The thief was sprawled across the couch, clearly asleep, much to Machiavelli's obvious annoyance. As the last seats available were a chair and Leonardo's stool.

Leonardo had seated himself, so that would leave the two with just that chair. Now consitering the chances of waking up La Volpe and getting their throats cut out for wall decorations would be a higher possiblity than him just sitting up and allowing one of them to sit, it was clear that the couch was out of the question. Which would mean they'd have to work out who would get the chair.

"I call it." Machiavelli cut into her thoughts, already about to sit down.

"Hey! Why do you?" Ezio hissed as she lunged at the chair.

But unfortunately, she was a little late, now with no seats left, she was stuck standing. Which brought up the stupid idea from Machiavelli, after she had grumbled and complained for five minutes, "Why not you just sit on my lap or something?"

Ezio glared at him, "I think I'd rather sit on La Volpe's stomach and risk being lashed at."

"Beggers can't be choosers." The philosopher pointed out. Uhghhh... more of his philosophy and such...

Just to prove him wrong, she walked over to the couch where La Volpe was still sprawled over and seated herself on the older, earning a few sputtered curses of surprise.

"What the fuck! Merda! Ezio! Why are you on me?" The thief questioned as he wriggled underneith in an attempt to escape the added weight.

"Machiavelli took the chair and you're hogging the couch." Ezio stated flattly.

La Volpe shot Machiavelli a glare, and got the responce of, "Do you want Ezio sitting on you, or me?"

Although the fumed thief would have retorted, he groaned in annoyance, "Fine..." A moment or two later he added, "Besides, I kind of like being under here."

Ezio flicked La Volpe square on the forehead with a flat out "No" before leaning an elbow on the arm of the couch. Things were quiet after that, Leonardo not interviening with the little squabbles after that. Until finally he stood with the Apple.

"Ezio, why not you try touching the Apple."

So she did, you know what happened? Do you really wanna know? Are you sure you wanna know? Alright I'll tell you. Nothing. That's right, absolutely nothing. Whcih was much to everyone's disappointment. Leonardo sighed before turning back to the workbench.

"This will be a while." He explained. "Why not you go outside for a little bit, Ezio?"

She sighed before getting off of La Volpe, who had been wriggling about the past hour she had been sitting on him. "Alright. At least you tried, _amico mio_." SHe was about to least when she realized that Volpe had stood up as well, "Did you get stiff under there?"

La Volpe shook his head as he stretched an arm. "No. I'm just thinking that you shouldn't go out alone."

Ezio was about to protest when Machiavelli agreed to this. She shot him a glare in warning, but it was ignored. Looks like she was stuck with Volpe.


	8. Chapter 8

On the walk, it was pretty quiet. Nothing truely happened to them. At least it seemed like that at the beginning.

They were rounding the corner when Ezio had noticed that a group of guards were following them. She discretely notified La Volpe of this and he lead her to the side of the road, waiting with hopes that the guards would continue on. They did.

As soon as they were both sure that no one would bug them, fate just seemed to screw them both over and prove them wrong. And it was thanks to a freaking musician! He stalked them for the past ten minutes, then Volpe lost it and punched him square in the face, the musician panicked and told the guards.

So where were they now? Ezio with pinned up by a guard to the wall, possibly going to be raped. La Volpe had two guards on him and a knife at his throat.

To explain, the guards seemed to take the musician seriously and went after them. Which what do you do when you have armed men chasing you and screaming at you to stop? Run like hell of coarse! Well, when you're wearing a dress and trip on the skirt, you're pretty much doomed. It took a crossbow men and two swifter guards to tackle La Volpe over, the other just picked Ezio up off the ground.

"Leave her alone!" Volpe growled at the guard who was playing with the collor of the dress, eyes more focused on her clevage than anything.

One of the brutes holding him punched him in the stomach. Though he toughed that out visibly.

One of the guard's questioend, "What? You like her or something? She your girlfriend?"

La Volpe was quick to disagree, "No! Of course not!"

"I don't think that's true." The guard claimed. Dispite Ezio's NO-not-in-a-million-trillion-freaking-years look of utter horror. "Why not you have some fun."

The guard on Ezio let go, but was quick to stab into the sleeves with throwing knifes, pinning her to the wall. The brute shoved La Volpe at him, practically smuthering them together! Both wide eyed with shock as La Volpe's wrists were also pinned to the wall. Leaving them with Ezio back against the wall with La Volpe pressed up against her. They laughed before leaving.

"How do we get out of these?" Ezio asked and she pushed into the wall to avoid La Volpe's face. Honestly, their faces were only an inch apart, and craning their necks away was painful. La Volpe then seemed to get an idea.

"Alright, maybe I can push off the wall, maybe you could try and push me off with your feet or something."

Although that seemed rather ridiculus, what other option did they have other than yelling themselves to insanity? She nodded, and Volpe planted his feet onto the wall and tried to kick off, Ezio then helped with a kick to what she believed to be his stomach, though that was restrained to avoid hurting him. Regardless, the added stength was enough to cause Volpe to detatch and fall backwards! Sitting on the cobblestone a moment as he briskly rubed his lower back, which he landed unforgivingly on.

When Volpe got up, he removed the throwing knifes, one of them making Ezio whince as she felt a sharp splice. La Volpe noticed, "Are you alright?"

Ezio had already started pulling her sleeve up in inspect the stinging area. There, she found the back of her forearm bleeding, the cut seemed moderately deep. She was quick to slap an arm on to stop the blood from escaping, seeing as she already had a trail of the liquid running down her wrist and dripping from her fingers, producing a few crimson drops on the ground.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, Volpe, really. Don't worry about it." Ezio assured strongly, then started walking again. She was stopped again by her shoulder being held by the thief as he reasoned.

"No, at least let me take you to a doctor so that can be seen to."

There was no convincing him otherwise. Like her, the older was stubborn as a mule and never changed his desissions or went out on his word. Hell, he had threatened to kill Machiavelli already, and he almost did. It took discovering the real traitor, who was no more than a thief working for the Vatican, and taking the letter he was going to deliver. After the insodent, he had promised to avoid telling Machiavelii on the almost attempt on his life.

Ezio once again disagreed to the offer, "I'm fine. I'll wrap it up and clean it when we get back."

Dispite this, the master thief wasn't convinced, "I insist."

Okay, a word of the wise-ish-, when you hear those words, especially if they're every bit as thick skulled, overly and easily motivated, you know there's no telling them otherwise. Therefore was stuck with accepting his offer. "Fine. But we get straight back to Leonardo's afterwards."

"You have my word."


	9. Chapter 9

The doctor was exaimining the wound on her arm, "How did this happen?"

"A guard." Ezio explained simply. Trying to avoid as much of the details as possible. "He pinned me to a wall with knives. One managed to cut me when he pulled them out."

With a nod of understanding, the doctor began to go through his supplies. "I could put on some leeches to soak up some blood before I close the wound. Seeing as washing it won't stop the bleeding long enough."

This made Ezio make a face at the thought of her blood being sucked out, and shook her head, "N-no. Can we just avoid the leeches? Please?"

"Ah I see, you're nervous." The doctor seemed to assume. "Alright, I won't. But I'll still need to clean the wound and stitch it shut." He took out a cloth and started to dab at the gash, only causing it to sting. When he finished, he brought out a needle and thread and promised, "I'll try to be gentle."

Upon those words, he threaded the needle into her skin, making her whince and bite at her lip. Ezio wasn't sure if La Volpe had noticed the pained expression as the doctor was closing her wound until...  
>She felt a hand meet her free one that was clenched on the table, allowing her to grasp onto it and squeeze the fingers. But when she looked to the owner, Volpe seemed to show no sign of feeling pain from his fingers next to being crushed.<p>

When the doctor finished, Ezio let her friend's hand go, fighting off the heat of embarrassment from reaching her face. The doctor wrapped the wound and Volpe paid for the servies, allowing them to leave. Both silent about the visit to the doctor for the rest of the walk back to Leonardo's.

When they reached the inventor's workshop, they were pleased to see Machiavelli and Leonardo still there. Ezio, by then, had pulled down her sleeve to cover the bandages.

"How was you're walk?" Machiavelli asked from his spot beside Leonardo, he hadn't looked up, he was still looked down at the Apple with the artist.

La Volpe was first to answer, "It was fine. Just a walk was all." If something did happen at all, Volpe clearly knew how to hide it in both his voice and features.

* * *

><p>La Volpe went back tot he couch, and sprawled out on it once more, crossing his ankles on the arm of the furniture. His arms resting on his stomach casually.<p>

Ezio, meanwhile, was about to seat herself when he asked, "Are you going to sit on the chair, or on me?"

It was almost comical how she stiffened and glared with pinkened cheeks. Which made him chuckle to himself. Although annoying Ezio seemed to be amusing, and it was, he wasn't sure if there was something else in it also. Maybe he... _no. What am I thinking? That's just..._

In the middle of his thoughts, he didn't realize that Machiavelli had sat down in the chair and Ezio was once again seated on his stomach. Dispite her being sort of heavy, he could easily say it was better to have her sitting on him in her current state than if she were to suddenly turn into a man again and sit on him. And yet again, he realized that his thoughts had left to some strange mix of nonsense and random. Again...

What seemed like hours later, he was laying there half awake, dazily watching Leonardo pacing around. Ezio was leaned up against the back of the couch, and Machiavelli had left a bit ago. Claiming that he had to be sure the recruits hadn't dystoried the hideout while he was gone.

La Volpe sighed, shutting his heavy eyes as darkness took him to a light sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Ezio felt the dull traces of consciousness returning, she was laying on a warm bed, or at least she thought she was. A little squirming comfirmed the opposite. She cracked a eye oopen to find herself staring at the workshop ceiling, and behind her, or under her, was the sound of soft breathing. She could barely turn her head back to see a pale brown cape draped over the side of the couch underneith her. That pretty much comfirmed her suspitions.

With as much stealth as she could muster up in her tired body, she slipped one of the arms hold her down off, then processed to untangle herself from the rest of the other's limbs, then got up. Leaving La Volpe still asleep on the couch. Leonardo must have still been asleep.

For a long moment, she debated on what to do until everyone had woken up, until she finally settled with just waking La Volpe up. Which, in itself, was a much more difficult task altogether than she had first antisipated.

First attempt? Shaking him around until he got up. Did it work? Well, if one consiters being swatted at and Volpe turning over on his stomach a sucess then yes. What do you think?  
>Second? Drag him off the couch. Did it work? No... He clung to the arm and then continued to lay like a limp noodle on the floor.<br>Third time? Jump on his back. Did that work? Okay, the guy was how old? Ezio didn't want to kill him or break his back!  
>Fourth. Fourth HAD to work. Right?<br>Right?  
>Yeah right...<br>Dump some water on his face. Come on, that HAD to of worked! Well not exactly. Instead she only sucessed in chasing the thief back onto the couch. Back to where she started...

With a defeated sigh, she plopped down on the chair. Watching as La Volpe laid in a feeble position and pressed into a throw pillow. Maybe she could find another way... but the possiblity of managing to get the older to wake up seemed to be slimmer and slimmer. The last option was to give up and-.

Before she could finish the thought, the door swung open! This made La Volpe sit up with a start as a few guards stood in the doorway. Leonardo had come out in a matter of moments, half dressed. "What's going on?"

One of the guards smirked, "Take them all."

Ezio panicked as they invaded, coming after the three! Leonardo was the first to be tackled, and probably the easiest. Ezio managed to dodge and scramble away from one, only to crash into another. With the momention, she tackled the guard over and jumped over the table. Trying to put something in between herself and the two guards.

La Volpe had easily managed to down one guard, and now was fighting a second. His dagger held at a ready position. The guard slashed his sword, and he blocked as the metal of their weapons clashed. He took a step back as the guard cut the air at a swipe for his midsection! Then found himself cornered up to a wall with the guard, still holding the dagger up ready. The guard knocked it away, letting it clatter on the floor before holding his sword up to the thief's throat.

Ezio lundged for the discarded dagger as the guards rushed around the table to grab her, and picked it up in one fluent motion. "They send _bambinos_ to do a man's work?" She taunted with a challanging grin. Then her dagger met with a sword, and she knocked it back. Using the opening to stab him in the stomach. That guard down. One more to go. She clashed weapons with him, glaring at each other with feirousity in their eyes. They separated and Ezio kicked at the back of his ankle, knocking the foot out from under him and disbalancing him. In the open opprotunity, she impaled him through the neck. Letting him fall to the ground with a thud.

"Ezio!"

She hadn't time to react to La Volpe's one word warning as that downed guard he'd knocked senseless staggered up and pinned her down on the floor with a sword up to her slender neck.

"Tie them up. We're bringing them to Cesare." The leader guard barked from his position next to the knocked over artist, a foot planted on the latter's stomach.


	11. Chapter 11

"Leonardo!"

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

No answer. "LEONARDO!"

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Inpatience prickling like needles in his skin, Machiavelli then swung the door open. "Leonardo! What's-?" He stopped midsentence. Seeing the disaster zone that had become the workshop. No one was there. But it couldn't be even more obvious what had happened. "Leonardo? Are you here?"

There wasn't a reply. So he stepped down the steps and looked at the over turned furnature and obvious signs of a struggle. Behind him, Bartolomeo was standing in the doorway in shock, jaw slag and looking at every last detail of the carnage.

"What happened?"

Machiavelli didn't have an answer, he wasn't so sure himself. "The Borgia _bastardos_ probably took them."

Bartolomeo then stepped in, walking over to a wall where there was a Volpe size hole in the wall, cracks spider webbing around it. "They clearly didn't seem to care about hurting them."

"But why?"

Machiavelli asked half to himself. Then his eyes caught sight of white on the floor. He stepped in closer. Then sputtered in shock, "Bartolomeo? Could you come over here?"

The mercenary captain stood next to him, staring down at the clear writing on the floor.

_"AIUTO! CATTURATO! CESARE!"_

Machiavelli found himself murmering those last two words. "Captured. Cesare." He then felt the heat of anger pooling up inside him, he crushed his hands into fists and growed vemonously, "The Borgia _bastardo did_ take them!"

* * *

><p>Pain.<p>

Everything throbbed with ache, his face smushed up to the cold stone floor. It almost seemed to sooth his pounding headache, almost. It hurt to breathe, and that was the give away that he must have broken at least a couple ribs. He couldn't open one eye at all, it was purple and swollen shut. And his arm. It was useless, he couldn't move it and it hurt as all hell to try moving his shoulder.

But this was probably one of the least of La Volpe's worses.

They had taken Ezio. That was all he remembered prior to waking up, that and something cracking. He couldn't recall what.

"La Volpe? Are you alright?"

The thief's voice was a husky drawl, "_Si_. I'm fine." He tried to sit up using his better arm, but found himself biting back curses and groaned of agony. "What happened?"

Leonardo sighed in the darkness, "They grabbed Ezio and you lost it." He could hear the rustle of fabric, then felt a warm touch to his shoulder, "The guards, they practically tore you to ribbons." He then heard the artist gasp, "Your arm!"

Well you know that arm he couldn't move? Yeah, it was only being held onto his body by muscle, tendons, and veins. No bone.

"Here, let me try and relocate that." Leonardo told him as he pushed on the upper point of his arm. He couldn't hold back a cry of pure and complete agony, he found himself pushing towards the dislocated arm, trying to speed up the process. Then a pop. He moved the still pain stricken limb a little, now knowing it was in place again.

"_Gazie_, Leonardo."

The artist was in better shape, although it was impossible to cover the harsh bruises and cuts on the man's face. "It was nothing. Maybe you should rest a little."

"No. No. I'm alright." La Volpe disagreed. "Besides, what if-"

They both looked up as they saw the two guards drag a limp Ezio back and throw her into the cell. Her brown hair messed up and the red fabric barely knotted to the tips of her hair. Her lip split. On top of that, her clothes were in ruins. Pretty much desimated.

"Ezio?"

The woman groaned eavily, curling in on herself as if to protect her chest and midsection. What caused this was beyond him.


	12. Chapter 12

"Ezio? What did they do?"

She could barely keep an eye open to meet Leonardo's stare. All she wanted to do was curl up and sleep, escape her pain that the guards inflicted. Nothing would cure the horror she'd seen. And she shuttered in remembrence.

"Did they...? Did Cesare...?"

Ezio gave a groan and scooted away, she didn't want to speak of it. There wasn't a single word that she knew that could express it all. Not one.

"Ezio, please. Just answer us." Leonardo requested with pleading eyes.

With a painfuly dry throat, she answered, "I don't want to talk about it..."

* * *

><p>Machiavelli dug around another pocket with no avail. Then grumbled in his discontent. This was impossible. Completely and utterly impossible. No way, at all, what so ever. Ezio had hidden the key pretty damn well, and he had to give him credit. But now this was more annoying than ever.<p>

"If I were Ezio, where would I hide a key?"

Bartolomeo chuckled, "For all we know it's right under our noses."

With bat of an eye, he turned to the door away fromthe wall in other to see the key hole, but no key. Apparently the assassin was smarter than that. Much smarter. Or he had help from La Volpe. Regardless, they couldn't find the damn key.

It wasn't in a pouch he carried around.  
>It sure as hell wasn't in any of his robes.<br>Not in the draws of his desk or the nightstand or the tables.  
>Not under the bed.<br>It definately wasn't in their ears. They tried that one already.  
>Not hanging off the walls.<br>Not under his mattrace, surprisingly... They already uncovered an old blanket, a necklace, and an assortment of other things he had stashed away. But no key there.  
>It wasn't glued to their backs, that would have been far too easily.<br>The hollowed out books showed them nothing that'd help them. And consitering the man had about maybe thirty books, and only five percent of that was hollowed, they didn't have any luck with it.  
>The hidden blade wasn't of any use either. Just compartments for a gun and poison.<br>And it sure as hell wasn't under their noses... Well maybe Bartolomeo's... he had a beard.

Machiavelli slumped down onto the chair, sighing heavily, "It's hopeless, Ezio clearly is more secretive than I thought." He glared down at the floor feircely with annoyance. It was probably close to evening, so the sun was casting a bright glow through the window. He then noticed that the light catching on the floorboard reveiled something that neither of the two had noticed. A loose floorboard.

"Bartolomeo? Could you look at this?"

Said man studied the floor board a moment, "Do you think he hid it under there?"

"It's worth a try I guess." Machiavelli responded before fiddling witht he floorboard, until it lifted up and allowed him to see the supports underneith, it looked almost like a secret compartment. On the bottom was a piece of paper and a leather bound book, but no key. "No. This doesn't help either."

"What did that paper say?" Bartolomeo asked.

Machiavelli reached into the hole and pulled out the piece of paper, and opened it to find Ezio's neat handwriting. It was like a note-to-self or something. Although it became clear that it was just a bucket list or something. Most of the things were crossed out already. "I've said it before. Useless."

Bartolomeo took the book and flipped it open. Eyes narrowed a moment before he laughed, "He has a diary!"

The write snatched the apparent diary away from the hysterical mercenary captain so he could see this for himself. Of course, why must he usually be right. The first page was writen back to the day before the Villa attack! Mainly a rant on why he had snapped at him. Which made him mentally facepalm. Why was he so surprised about the whole journal? Well he didn't expect to find all of the man's secrets so easily at his fingertips. It was almost sickening in a way.

"We should put this back." Machiavelli told him as he was about to slide the book away, but Bartolomeo stopped him.

"Wait, what if he wrote about where he hide the key in that thing?"

He did have a point, and yet again, bringing him back to the annoyance of his being right. It looked like they were stuck reading his diary... oh joy...


	13. Chapter 13

"Ezio, please tell us, what did they do?" La Volpe asked again. He kept asking and asking, and Ezio was on the verge of breaking his skull or something.

With a groan of annoyance as she rubbed her temples, she glared at the thief before answering. "They tried to rape me."

This made Volpe stare in surprise, violet eyes wide. "And did they manage?"

Ezio shook her head, "No, I kept them off. But made it clear that it was that or torture."

"And?"

She sighed, "And I kicked him in the crotch. Does that answer your question?" She then returned to her fiddle position, "Now just leave me be." Then she felt a strange sense, like someone was nosing through her journal back at the hideout. Although she assumed the feeling of violation was from the near rape attempt made on her.

* * *

><p>Machiavelli stared at the page of the diary, which he and Bartolomeo had been reading for the past hour. And it was clear that they were at rock bottom. This diary hadn't told them anything but that La Volpe had mistrusted him, and something about almost being kicked in the head by a horse.<p>

"This is a blank slate." He grumbled. Unable to peel his eyes from the page.

Bartolomeo nodded. "Maybe we should go back to searching."

Machiavelli nodded in agreement as he unceremoniously tossed the diary back onto the bed. But in doing so, something knocked out, which he thought was a loose page, he tripped back over to fix it. Then his eyes widen as he saw what was written.

"Um, Bartolomeo?"

The mercenary captain returned and looked over his shoulder. "Do you think this will help us?"

"It's written right here in black and white! Of course it will!" Then he questioned aloud, "How'd he manage to get a secret room in here?"

They walked over to the far wall, and looked around. "Did it say what the lever was?"

"No, it just says a lever."

Bartolomeo sat down on the chair, and next thing the unsuspecting writer knew, he was tumbling down a circluar staircase! Until he flopped flat on his stomach at the bottom. Behind him, Bartolomeo walked down the stairs.

"_Molto bene_, you found the entrance!"

Machiavelli glared at him over his shoulder as he pulled himself off the floor. "Now where did that paper say to look?" He stared down, but it only told them about the lever, it was useless now. But a secret entrance to a special room? How on earth did Ezio manage this? Then as an after thought, he remembered that he probably had it put in when he had earned the money to do so.


	14. Chapter 14

It was dark, completely and utterly dark. But she sat by the door, twittling a bobby pin in the lock, until she heard the tumbler roll. With a victorious smirk, she shook Leonardo and La Volpe awake then opened the cell door. This was almost too easy.

Soon she came to a difficulty, Leonardo wasn't like her or La Volpe, he couldn't climb or jump. Not well. They'd have to find an easier way out. Another problem with that, the door was locked. Just locked.

She whispered her thought aloud, "If I were Cesare, where would I hide a key."

La Volpe grew a smile and started running up the stairs and she had to keep up. Soon they came through the library and on the balcony and through another door. In there, they were in unknown territory. She wasn't familiar with the hallway. Soon La Volpe opened one of the doors and peaked inside, closing it shut again wide eyed.

Her voice low, "What was in there?"

"Rodrigo."

"What the-?"

"He was with one of his mistresses."

She shivered at the thought, then allowed La Volpe to lead down the hall, opening another door. She looked in over his shoulder to see that it was empty. The bed and room were vacent. Down another hall. And once again, they opened the door, Ezio twitched an eye in disturbance.

There was Cesare... and Lucrezia. Both sound asleep. The former was laying on his back and the latter curled up beside him. It was obvious that they were half naked. But La Volpe was right, Cesare had the key. Guess where. Go ahead and guess. There are no wrong answers!

Okay, NO he didn't hide it in Lucrezia's corrset or up his ass or anything like that. Whoever said that get's an F. Just kidding. Nope, it was on a chain around Cesare's neck. Why wasn't she surprised? And clearly La Volpe wasn't either.

Said violet eyed thief crept through the room, stepping over the clothes strewn across the floor, then right at the bed side. He started to slowly slide the chain off of the "brilliant" Captain General's neck. When suddenly, one of his hands wretched up and took hold of one of the master thief's arms! Though he didn't wake up.

Ezio crept over tot he bug eyed thief who was trying to free himself, unsucessfully. He only seemed to get his arm griped tighter and Cesare cuddling it like a stuffed animal. She then attempted to work La Volpe's arm free, earning a few murmered protests and Cesare drowl on her hand. _Note to self: Wash hands... REALLY WELL!_

With Volpe freed, the two left the room with the key and were on their way back to Leonardo, who should of been waiting where they left him. But, of course, the artist was like a kid in a candy shop and wandered off. La Volpe left to find him while Ezio waited.


	15. Chapter 15

Ezio stood in the hall, waiting for La Volpe and Leonardo to return. But even she knew it'd take a while. Yet the wait was annoying, and on top of that, she couldn't help but feel sick. Thought that was pushed to the back of her mind with the suspitions that it was nothing.

As she was pacing, she looked to the floor, her vision growing hazy and dark edging in. Her foot steps were growing unsteady, until she could hardly see and she fell to her knees and shut her eyes. Pressing her hands down to the floor in order to support her fevering body as she tried to take deep breaths. The world spinning too fast for her to keep up, and she tried to clutch at the stone floor like it was to only thing keeping her from floating away. Then the dark consumed her, all feeling gone.

* * *

><p>La Volpe rounded the corner with a hand gripping Leonardo's wrist, dragging him back to where he had left Ezio. Then stopped dead in his tracks as he found himself staring at said person laying limply with skin pale. She had... grown. Her small and delicate body growing a bit and edged more in a masculine sort of way. But the same woman like figure remained; a little less provenent though.<p>

"Ezio!" He gasped as he dropped to his knees beside her. She was unconsciece and beads of sweat matted down her bangs to her cheek. He didn't realize that he was holding one of her hands, it was burning, and he was beginning to wonder how possible it'd be for him to run out of this hell carrying her.

"We've got to leave, and soon!" Leonardo noted as he sat on his heels beside La Volpe.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

Both men turned to see Cesare standing there! Half naked and a gun in hand as he glared at the two. Lucrezia was standing groggily at the doorway. The Captian General chuckled and took a few steps towards them, snatching the key back from La Volpe's hand. Violet and dark eyes in a silent stare off for what seemed to them like eons when it was only a second.

That sickly grin still playing on his face, Cesare chuckled, "I definately see the resemblence now." Then aimed the gun down at Ezio's back. "And that only makes this all the more amusing." There was a loud bang as the gun was fired, Ezio's breath hitched a moment before her fists loosened and went limp.

"You _bastardo_!" La Volpe snapped, ready to jump on him. His self control dangling by a thread now as he was on the verge of tearing the man's face off and throwing off the top of his castle. "You'll pay for what you just did!"

Leonardo put a hand on his shoulder to try and calm him, but he tore his shoulder away and lept at Cesare! Dagger out as he aimed for the Templar's heart.

But in the nick of time, Cesare grasped La Volpe's wrists, both glaring at one another as the tables were turning. In one move, La Volpe was kiced in the stomach and turned around. Though he managed to dodge a knife to the back and punch Cesare upside the head. But Lucrezia stood motionless, eyes wide as she watched the thief and her brother fighting.

Cesare elbowed La Volpe in the ribs, and he countered with a headbutt. Both stumbled, hands to their foreheads. But Volpe then shook it off and jumped at him once more, kicking him in the chest and grabbing his arm to swing him into the wall. Cesare pulled free and shoved the thief down to the floor, a foot planted on his back and holding his forearm back while the other was rendered useless underneith Volpe's midsection.

The Captain General leaned in close, "That was not a wise move, now I'll be sure that you'll suffer for it."

La Volpe scowled as he wriggled under the younger's foot, desperate to free himself. He wasn't about to loose.

Then there was a sudden slam and an _omphf!_ La Volpe looked to his side as Cesare fell knocked out, and sat himself up. Leonardo was standing above him holding a scroll before he replaced it in his pouch.

"Go, and forget you saw us, Signora." Leonardo told Lucrezia politely.

Lucrezia nodded slowly, casting Cesare a glance before turning down the hall and leaving, not sparing the time to help him up or even move him. With this, Leonardo helped Volpe up then moved back to Ezio.

"We have to help hi-her back to the workshop. And now!"

* * *

><p>"Don't worry, <em>amicos mio<em>, we're coming." Machiavell said as he casted the Castel San'Angelo a look from where he sat on horseback. Bartolomeo beside him on a chestnut mare. His eyes looking darker in the dead of night.


	16. Chapter 16

La Volpe ran, his arms wrapped around Ezio as Leonardo was right behind him. They could probably make it. Probably. They raced through another corridor, and, no matter how much he hated to admit it, he was lost. Unfamiliar with the inner halls and chambers of the Castelo. But Ezio was.

He rushed down another hallway and found himself stop dead in his tracks. He was standing under an opening. He could easily of made the jump up to the post that stretched across but he had the younger assassin his his hold and Leonardo probably couldn't make it either. He'd have to figure out another way.

With that, he raced down the right passage and whipped into a room. There was a hole in the floor and he could see a bale of hay there. Too easy. He carefully dropped Ezio down, hoping he hadn't messed up her wound even more, and leapt down afterwards. He dragged he out and gave Leonardo space to jump, and watched him fall flat into the hay.

"Now where do we go?"

La Volpe shook his head, "I'm think of something." Then picked Ezio up before he raced down another hall and found himself staring at the inner part of the gate! He had to say, not knowing where the fuck he was going seemed to work for him. He put Ezio down and told the artist beside him, "There's two levers that open the gate I guess, you check that side and go to the other."

Leonardo nodded and raced to the small flight of stairs off to the right while Volpe took off to the left and scaled the wall. Finding himself face to face with a startled Borgia guard, which he easily disposed of before scranking the heavy lever and opening one of the gates. He returned to find Leonardo waiting, so he picked Ezio up and ran out of the gate, lucky to find a couple horses there feeding on a bale of hay.

He brought Ezio up on a black horse, and pulled himself up behind her to be sure that she wouldn't fall off, Leonardo claimed the cream colored one beside it. In no time, they were off.

"Leonardo, when we get to the other side, keep going, I'll distract them."

"But what about Ezio?"

"He-uh she needs to see a _doctore_!" Volpe pointed out. "Besides, I can hold them off."

Though there was a look of doubt, the inventor nodded. And they pushed past, knocking cardinals over as they went until they reached the other side, and Leonardo left. La Volpe jumped off the horse and pulled out his dagger, ready to fight.

A spearman was first to come and attempt to impale him, he dodged and countered the attack with a stab to the space between his collarbone and adams apple. Only to find himself knocked forward by another guard. He spun around and sliced his throat.

"Need some help?"

Volpe looked up as he saw Machiavelli and Bartolomeo run over, both with swords drawn and ready to fight. "_Salve_ to you too." The thief responded.

The battle was surprisingly quick, the guards were easily beaten. Then they were off once more.

* * *

><p>Dull haze of conscieceness hung on Ezio as she watched with heavy eyes as she was pulled from a horse and down onto a table. A beaked face looking over her. She couldn't think clearly as she fought to see farther than her blurred and crossing vision allowed. Other figures were too distorted and fuzzed to reconize.<p>

Voices drummed in her ears too muffled by a harsh ring for her to distinguish the words.

A harsh sting pieced her shoulder and she hitched a breath, fighting off the pain. And she prayed that it'd be over.

The ringing was beinging to fade, the voices becoming clearer. She could hear one person say, "Will she be alright?"

"She?"

"But isn't..." The voice trailed off. Then another picked up.

"_Dios mio_."


	17. Chapter 17

La Volpe could only stare in shock as Machiavelli finished his sentence with, "_Dios mio_."

Ezio was alive alright. But... let's put this nicely at she was not a woman... or a man. How do we know, children? The doctor doesn't even know, that should be evidence enough, and I'll say that much.

The doctor shook his head as he asked through his beaked mask, "Has 'she' always been like this?"

La Volpe shook his head, still speechless, did this mean Ezio was getting better? Or should they be more worried? And how the hell did this happen when the Apple couldn't do anything? So many questions, and he was sure the other two were thinking the same.

"Could you just fix 'her' up?" Machiavelli asked.

The doctor nodded and continued to close the gun wound. Meanwhile Ezio made feeble whimpers of protest, eyes barely open and fists tightening. He almost felt horrible about this. But he'd just have to shove his own feelings to the side and try and be around for "her".

* * *

><p>Now at the workshop, they laid Ezio down on the couch while they explained to Leonardo the change. The artist was just as stumped. But what do you do when something strange happens? See what happens if you touch the Apple!<p>

Leonardo came over to Ezio, the Piece of Eden in his hand as he tried to have Ezio touch the Apple. This time, we all gathered around close as the Apple glowed. Did Ezio change? Maybe a tad, he didn't look much different to when he had first met him now. Now they'd have to fix the age, if that would be possible.

"Do you think it might help if he touched it again?" Bartolomeo asked.

Leonardo shook his head, "I don't think it works like that."

"But what if it does?" The Mercenary Captain reasoned. "We might be keeping him in his current state longer because we don't know what will happen."

Though there was a look of doubt in Leonardo expression he nodded and tried once again.

This time around, the light is blinding! La Volpe found him crippling on the floor as a ring blasted the inner walls of his skull! As quickly as it came, it was gone. And the thief did a double take on himself before anything, everything seemed normalish, aside from a ringing headache and feeling like he couldn't breathe.

"Is everyone alright?" Leonardo asked.

Machiavelli, who had stumbled backward and fell of the stool by the workbench, pulled himself off the ground. "We know what we aren't doing again." La Volpe saw something strange, like there was something wrong with the philosopher, because he didn't remember the man having a hunch.

"Machiavelli?" La Volpe brought himself up onto a chair as he tried to clear his head. "When did you get a hunch?"

The man made a confused look, then touched his shoulder before going wide eyed and starting to undo the belt that kept his cloak on. And in record time, he undressed him down to his trousers and boots. But no one said anything, they were all staring at Machiavelli's back.

There sat a pair of bird wings! No joke, bird wings! Large, auburn bird wings. And everyone was either jaw dropped and just plain speechless as Machiavelli was trying to see them over his shoulder.

"Did anyone else get effected?" Leonardo asked, still too distracted by Machiavelli's wings to honestly look back ot the others.

"Did it do anything to Ezio?" Machiavelli asked back. Which made the artist turn to check, bringing them all to the realization that Ezio had turned back to a woman. "What about the rest of you?"

Volpe twitched an ear. _Wait, ears don't twitch!_ He reached up into his hood and felt two fuzzy triangular objects on the top of his head, and where he'd normally have ears, there was none at all! On top of that, something was pressed up against his back. He reached back and found his hand coiled around a long fluffy thing. "Uh, I don't mean to alarm anyone, but does this count as normal?"

He pulled his hood down and move the fluffy thing, which he guessed was a tail, because it was attatched to where a tail should be, out to where everyone could see. Bartolomeo was first to say something other then "what the hell" or "oh my god". "Now your name really suits you."

Now able to see the tail, he was annoyed by the fact that Bartolomeo was right, and the tail was indeed that of a fox. "Does this get any stranger?"

Machiavelli chuckled, "I find it ironic."

"Go jump off a building." La Volpe grumbled.

Bartolomeo finished checking himself as he said, "Nothing happened to me."

Leonardo nodded, "Nor me."

"Did you stumble backwards when you had Ezio touch the Apple?" Machiavelli asked.

Bartolomeo shook his head while Leonardo answered with a simple "no".

Leonardo then added, "Maybe it had something to do with it. Or it's just coincidence."

"Or you'll sprout a lion tail and whiskers in your sleep while I look in the mirror tomorrow and find that I look more like some animal." Bartolomeo guessed.

Machiavelli looked at Volpe then to the two, "I don't see why I got bird wings. The fox ears and tail on Volpe, sure. But why wings on me?"

"I'm not sure." Leonardo sighed as he shook his head. "But we definately can't let you go outside like that."

"So we're stuck here." La Volpe concluded.

Leonardo nodded, "I'm sorry, but what if someone is to find you like that?"

For that, the thief had no answer. Normally he'd run, but now he was beginning to feel like he'd risk being shot if he did so.

**So yeah, more screwy things happen thanks to the Apple. Originally Volpe would start playing aorund and turn everyone into girls, but I figured it'd be more fun to watch them squirm with their new found body parts. Sorry if it's not what you guys were expecting.  
>Another thing I'd like to make clear, I KNOW about all the spelling mistakes I made and still am making. You don't need to tell me what I already know. I don't like dealing with the whole "oh you misspelled this and that". Review because you like the story or you have a suggestion BESIDES spelling errors and typos.<strong>


	18. Chapter 18

Leonardo walked out to the main room with some blankets, still slightly shocked by the sight of La Volpe with a fox tail and ears, and even more so Machiavelli's bird wings. Because of slight paranoia, he had double checked to be sure nothing unusual came up on himself. Bartolomeo had left to check in on his wife and such.

Machiavelli was sitting on the chair, leaning forward in order to keep from putting his wings in a bad position. And La Volpe had moved Ezio around in order to get himself a seat, now making the womanized assassin lay across his lap with his tail brought out to the side over her legs. He didn't seem to mind it. But he had been sure to pull his hood up, consealing the little black tipped tawny ears on the top of his head.

"Anyone want a blanket?" Leonardo asked.

Machiavelli looked up, "_Gazie_, Leonardo." Accepting one.

Before he could hand one to Volpe, the thief refused and pulled his cape up over his arms, "No need. That's what my cape's for."

"Really?" Machiavelli questioned with a puzzled look.

"No." La Volpe answered.

Leonardo still set a blanket down on Ezio's mid section before turning to walk out. "I'm going to see that Apple again. Don't break anything." There was light humor in his eyes as he looked to Machiavelli, who almost knocked a painting off the wall with his wing.

* * *

><p>La Volpe stared down at Ezio as he sighed before leaning back into the couch. It seemed any progress made was lost. Not that he thought that it was the end of the world, there'd be another way to change her back. But it was clear the Apple wasn't helping. That hint probably comes from the fact he now has the ears and tail of a fox.<p>

For once, she seemed so peaceful, and innocent. Though he knew better. And as soon as she'd wake up, he was sure that Ezio would be annoyed with him. Oh well. With a sigh, he shut his eyes.

* * *

><p>Through a haze of semi consciousness, Ezio woke up and sat herself up, stricked by a sudden wave of pain which exploded in her ribs. She grasped onto the sore area to feel bandages covering it. Bringing up the famous 'what the hell happened last night' question.<p>

She stood up as she heard a voice behind her yawn, "Ezio, you're up."

Ezio looked over her shoulder, only seeing big feathers and a giant wing! In moments, she rushed away, in a panic. Running out the door and into the starry clear night. She made no hesitant to take to the roof, the thing calling behind her along with another voice. She didn't stop, just ran. What the hell was going on?

Then next thing she knew, her wrist was grabbed, and she was pulled backwards to find herself face to face with a violet eyed thief. La Volpe kept a strong hold on her forearms as she tried to pull free, then took hold of her shoulders as he told her, "Why were you running?"

She blinked, "I- there was something huge with wings!"

"I know it must be so hard to believe, but I have feeling too."

Ezio turned back to see Machiavelli, and sure enough there were two giant wings attatched to his back! And once again she pulled away from Volpe, needing to put some distance from her and him. "How did you get wings?"

Drink RedBull of course. Nah just kidding, they didn't have any.

Machiavelli sighed, "The damned apple gave me them, and turned La Volpe into part vixen."

La Volpe turned and glared at him. "Do I look like a woman to you?"

Ezio backhanded him and stormed past, "I'm not a woman either, but look at the situation I'm stuck in!" Then she jumped over to the next roof and came back inside the workshop. Fists clentched as she sat down on the couch. Glaring at the floor.

A hand patted his shoulder, and she looked up to Leonardo as the artist told her softly, "They can be very foolish. Just don't worry about it."

The assassin nodded, then wrapped her arms around Leonardo. "Thanks, _amico mio_."

She let him go and stood back up, Leonardo following. Then she noticed something.

"Leonardo? Are you getting shorter?"

The artist gave her puzzled look, "Either that. Or you're getting taller."

The two hurried off to measure Leonardo, and discovered that he infact was shrinking! Although this was interesting to the inventor, Ezio was dead worried. Would it continue until he was the size of a bug? Or did it just reduce him down by a few inches?

"That damned Apple!" Ezio cursed. "It's messing around with all of us!"

"Well, actually, Bartolomeo was here as well and nothing seemed to of happened to him." Leonardo corrected.

There was then a scream outside and the door swung open as Machiavelli and La Volpe came running inside, the latter turning and slamming to the door shut behind him, both panting and the light of fear making their eyes wide!

"What the hell?" Ezio stared at both, catching a glance at Volpe's ears pinned back to his head, as his hood had fallen down, before the thief pulled his hood up.

Machiavelli was first to gasp, "There was something out there!"

La Volpe nodded, "A beast!"

Ezio crossed her arms, not buying the obvious joke there were trying to pull. "I don't thing there's anything out there."

La Volpe glared a moment before putting in, "If you don't believe us, then come see for yourself!"

"Fine, I will." Ezio agreed.


	19. Chapter 19

She followed La Volpe outside, and climbed up to the roof. The moon a white disk in the sky, casting a silvery glow down and bathing the city in the low light. On top of that, it was autumn, bringing a brisk chill to the air on the cooler of nights that made goosebumps rise and hairs stand on end.

"So where is this 'breast' you and Machiavelli saw?" Ezio answered.

La Volpe took a breath, letting it billow in a small cloud, before leading Ezio away from the workshop. Soon they came to one point where La Volpe just stopped in his tracks.

"What is it?" She asked.

La Volpe grabbed her forearm and pulled her off to the right and over the roof edge, where they gripped the edge. "Guard." Of course, there stood a Borgia Guard, stepping towards where they veered off and were hiding. But it was before either of them could have expected that the guard screamed and there was a howl let loose that ripped through the night calm!

Ezio peaked up over the edge, now able to see a huge dark thing, kneeled over the now dead guard as it was feeding on the corpes! An arrow lodged in it's shoulder, proving that the crossbow men had tried to defend himself. Now she'd have to thank Volpe for getting her out of the way, cause it could have been her.

But she noticed something strange. There was torn clothes covering the hair bound thing. Like they had once fit it. And the dead give away? When she was an all too familiar white metal sword strapped to the beast's side!

"T-that's Bartolomeo!" Ezio whispered with wide eyes.

The thief poked his head up and stared at the beast a long moment before responding quietly, "So the Apple did have some effect on him. But one thing, how do we get him back to the workshop?"

Ezio smirked, "I think I've got an idea. Keep an eye on him while I get something." Then she climbed back down and returned to the workshop.

"Did you see it?" Machiavelli asked as he inspected his wing.

Ezio nodded, "Yes, and I think it might be Bartolomeo. Leonardo, do you happen to have a big net I could use?"

The philosopher stood up and stared wide eyed in shock. "THAT- THAT THING WAS BARTOLOMEO?"

She only nodded as Leonardo handed her a net. Then she turned and left to get back to La Volpe, but Machiavelli caught up and told her, "I'm helping!"

"See if you might be able to fly over him and drop the net on his back if you can." Ezio told him.

Machiavelli's look of bravery and being a big hero faded. "I don't know how to fly."

Ezio sighed, "Then you'll have to help me and Volpe in attack range."

* * *

><p>La Volpe kept to his spot, not wanting to risk the same fate as that guard. When he saw Ezio and Machiavelli coming from behind the beast and crouch near him, he saw the rope net in Ezio's hand. He asked in a little more than a whisper, "You plan on catching him?"<p>

"And do you have any better ideas?" Ezio questioned.

"You're right." La Volpe sighed. Then climbed up onto the roof so he could crouch beside them. "Let's try and do this."

Ezio handed him and Machiavelli a corner of the net, one useless with no one to hold onto it. Then Ezio lead them towards Bartolomeo shealthfully. She gave them a nod, and at once, they all lundged and let the net come over the mercenary beast. Each held down their corners, Ezio sprawled to hold the last with her foot.

"We got him!" Machiavelli boosted.

Bartolomeo thrashed, his new found strength enough to throw all three off as he tore at the twine net and threw it at Ezio! Growling as his eyes, which had turned into shining amber orbs in the dark, locked onto Machiavelli! He then started towards him, his stature more hunched as he neared the fear sticken writer. Then in one swift move, Bartolomeo swung, knocking Machiavelli in the side, disbalancing him and sending him spinning over the edge of the five story building!

La Volpe looked over the edge as he shouted, "FLAP YOU BIRD BRAIN! FLAP!" Then he was knocked to the edge, Bartolomeo crouching over him, staring hungrily at him!

Then the beast turned man stood as he grasped at a pair of arms wrapped tightly around his neck! As he swung, Ezio was reveiling as she held on for dear life!

La Volpe looked back over the edge to see no body. No blood splatter. And no crushed Machiavelli down on the ground. But that didn't answer where he was. "Machiavelli?" He called. Only to get no answer. If he wasn't dead on the ground, did that mean he managed to fly? But he was far too heavy! There was no way his wings would be able to carry him! He had to be dead!

Behind him, Bartolomeo threw Ezio off, and she landed with a dreadful thump. Then he came at her! Ezio held him back with her hands clamping his muzzle shut and feet planted on his neck. She glared at him as La Volpe rushed for the net.

"Get a hold of yourself!" She hissed. "We're your friends!"

* * *

><p>Ezio found ehrself keeping Bartolomeo's mouth shut as she tried to will him to listen. Then he ripped her hands off of him, glaring at her as she tried to remind him that he wasn't like this!<p>

"Listen! You're not a beast! And I'm not dinner!" Ezio told him strongly. "I'm your friend! And you're not like this!" Although he was pretty agressive and blood thirsty in battle. "I just want to help you! Like when I helped get your wife back!" Okay now she'd just have to add to it. "Remember? What about Pantasilea?"

For a moment, she was sure she'd be killed right there, but it surprised her when she saw the pair of amber eyes soften. Then Bartolomeo turned and started running away, jumping over the gaps between roofs with little grace. But then a net fell on him! Ezio looked up to see Machiavelli flying a good few feet above the roof as he smiled at his accurate shot. Then he landed, La Volpe rushing to join him. Ezio got up and came to them, Bartolomeo still thrashing about in the net.

Ezio looked to Machiavelli brightly, "I can't believe it! You actually flew!"

La Volpe looked visibly relieved. "Now we just need to get Bartolomeo back to the workshop."

The mercenary captain continued to struggle, but Ezio coruched down beside him. "I'm sorry to do this." Then picked his head up a little before doing a headbutt! Bartolmeo yelped while Ezio grimanced while she held her forehead. But it worked, Bartolomeo quit squirming.

"Let's get him back." Ezio told the two with a headache.

**Longest chapter of this fanfic. So yeah, Bartolomeo turned into some beast, which I'm having fun writing about. Call me sadistic, but I enjoy writing about pain for some reason. Lol. And Machiavelli can fly! *is triyng to calculate how much redbull it'll take me to fly*  
><strong>**Machiavelli: It's not MY fault you like to make us go through all this BS!  
><strong>**Ezio: Funny. Now I'd like to be a man again, thank you very much.  
>Me: No, you will be a man again LATER. Maybe.<br>Bartolomeo: !_! WHHHHHY MUST I BE A WEREWOLF?  
><strong>**Me: Because I said so!  
>Volpe: Why are you typing this, Jadeah?<br>Me: *throws my pc out the window* Um, no I'm not. :)  
>Volpe: Then what was with the-?<br>Me: Oh look we're out of time! *pushes everyone out of my study* Be here for the next chapter! Bye!**


	20. Chapter 20

It took a while to drag Bartolomeo back to the workshop, but when they did, Leonardo just stared in shock when he saw him.

"So how do we deal with him? He'll eat us if we let him go." Machiavelli asked.

La Volpe smirked. "We could always tie him up to a chair."

Everyone looked to one another, seeming to agree on the idea. Leonardo left and returned with a wooden chair. "Are you sure we should?"

Ezio pointed out, "He would've killed us, I don't think it'd be wise to let him walk around."

* * *

><p>Leonardo yawned as he pulled out of the covers, it was early morning. He walked over to his wardrobe at once, and found himself having a harder time reaching the top draw. But he did with a stool, then came to the conclusion that he was still shrinking. He sighed and fiddled with the oversized clothes, then settled on trying to make himself something or pinning his clothes. If only he could shrink them.<p>

After taking his under clothes pinning them, he figured that if he got fully dressed it'd be the same effect as having a little kid wearing ultra puffy winter gear. He wouldn't be able to move. So he settled with what he had, consitering it covered him, and he wasn't planning on going anywhere.

He had to fully extend himself in order to reach the door knob and he walked out, where he was greeted by Ezio staring as she finished tying a still hair bound Bartolomeo to a chair. "You're getting shorter, _amico mio_!"

Leonardo nodded, "Did you get the arrow out of his shoulder?"

Ezio nodded, "Yeah, the wound wasn't bad either, it barely entered the skin."

* * *

><p>Headache.<p>

Dispite the pain, he dared to open his eyes to look around, discovering that he was tied to a chair and in Leonardo's workshop. "W-what's going on?" And then he tried to think of what happened, nothing came to mind. Only blood and... a net?

La Volpe, who was looking out a window, turned to face him. "It's good to see you looking like your old self again."

This made him raise an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

The thief now seemed a bit thrown by his confusion. He took a step closer, "You don't remember what happened?"

Bartolomeo shook his head.

"I'll leave it at you turning into a beast, eating a guard, and I had to help Ezio and Machiavelli catch you." La Volpe answered in the bluntest of manors.

The mercenary stared wide eyed. "Anything else?" He'd probably regrete asking.

"Well you did smack Machiavelli off the building, and you almost ate Ezio." The thief answered.

"WHAT?" Now questions were popping up left and right, and he wasn't sure how many he could ask. Only one seem the most important. "Is Machiavelli okay?"

Volpe shrugged, "You got him to fly. And he was the one who dropped the net on you while you tried to run off. He's alright."

Finally Bartolomeo asked, "Can you untie me?"

"Nope." Then he turned and walked out of the room. Leaving the still confused mercenary sitting there as he fought against his bonds with no avail.

**And now I leave you all here with the shortest chapter ever! Nah don't worry, next chapter will be better.**


	21. Chapter 21

_"Dammit!"_

_Ezio looked up from where she was looking at a paper beside Leonardo to see Machiavelli with a finger in his mouth. She turned around fully as she asked, "What the hell were you doing?"_

_La Volpe smirked, "Nothing, just that Bird Brain here sucks at juggling."_

_The philosopher sitting beside him pulled his finger out, reveiling it sliced alone the side and a trail of red rolling down his hand. "Not with a dagger. And it was your brilliant idea to start doing this in the first place."_

_"Volpe, why?" Ezio asked in monotone._

_"Machiavelli, are you annoied by this?" The thief asked, as if ignoring Ezio's question._

_Machiavelli scowled, "Yes it does."_

_"There's your answer, Ezio." Volpe responded smiling._

_"Ezio?"_

"Ezio?"

"huh...?" Ezio felt herself slowly return to the waking world as she blinked groggily at Leonardo standing over her. "Wha...?"

"I need you to help me with something quick." Leonardo told her, and she sat up, still half awake as she followed him with a glassy eyed stare of someone who was exhausted from having to keep a beast from leaving the workshop. Because as soon as the sun had set last night, Bartolomeo turned back into his fur bound beastly werewolf form and almost managed to escape.

Rubbing her eye, she yawned, "What is it? Something wrong?"

"No," The artist answered. "Just that I wanted to try something." He pulled out the Apple and gestured for her to touch it, so she did, and nothing happened. Leonardo sighed, "I thought that maybe it much just work this time."

Ezio patted his shoulder, "You tried." By now, the man had shrunk down to the size of a nine year old child. Lucky them, he still had the intelligance of a fifthy year old, or they'd be screwed. "Maybe it's something else."

Leonardo shrugged, "Maybe. But I'm sure that if we don't find the answer to this soon, then I might just shrink into an oblivion, Machiavelli and La Volpe might just turn literally into animals, and Bartolomeo will escape and reak havioc on all of the city after sun down."

"Don't remind me." Ezio sighed. "I don't mind the challange, I just don't like being smacked across the room and almost breaking my back."

Leonardo nodded his agreement, then walked back to his work table. Out of plain curiousity, Ezio followed to watch him work. Soon La Volpe and Machiavelli woke up and came to sit in the usual spots.

"Dammit!"

Ezio looked up from where she was looking at a paper beside Leonardo to see Machiavelli with a finger in his mouth. She turned around fully as she asked, "What the hell were you doing?" In the back of Ezio's mind, she was thinking, _deja vu_.

La Volpe smirked, "Nothing, just that Bird Brain here sucks at juggling."

The philosopher sitting beside him pulled his finger out, reveiling it sliced alone the side and a trail of red rolling down his hand. "Not with a dagger. And it was your brilliant idea to start doing this in the first place."

"Volpe, why?" Ezio asked in monotone. But now really beginning to get creeped out by how much he had seen this scene.

"Machiavelli, are you annoied by this?" The thief asked, as if ignoring Ezio's question.

Machiavelli scowled, "Yes it does."

"There's your answer, Ezio." Volpe responded smiling.

Meanwhile, the look of a blank expression shifted to shock on Ezio's face. "I think I just had serious deja vu."

"What do you mean?" La Volpe asked.

Ezio shook her head. "I don't know. I just don't know." Then she sighed and started to the door.

Machiavelli watched, "Where are you going?"

"Out for a walk." Ezio answered, as she opened the door. Without looking back, she added. "And no La Volpe, you aren't tagging along this time."

La Volpe, who was half out of of his seat, blinked. Then he sat back down. "That was... odd."

"Why so shocked?" Machiavelli asked.

Volpe shrugged, "I don't know, she didn't even look at me when she said I couldn't come. How did she know that-?"

"Think about it." Machiavelli cut in. "You accompanied her every last time she had left the workshop, don't you think it'd be bluntly obvious that she would tell you no."

"But what about the fact that she felt like she had seen you failing at knife tossing before?" La Volpe asked.

Machiavelli shrugged. "Who knows, maybe I'm just really bad at it and anyone would expect me to mess up."

Though this did little to convince the thief. He wasn't one to see logic in every answer.


	22. Chapter 22

Ezio walked through the streets, on the occastion, she'd kick a stone, but mostly it was was a blank walk. She hadn't any reason to go anywhere in particular. Nowhere would help her with her problems. Not one person would ever understand.

With a gust of wind, a piece of paper fluttered and hit her leg. Now knitting her eyebrows, she picked the paper off and held it up so she could read it.

_Madam Annetta- Fortune Teller_

With a sigh, she shook her head. Not much a believer of such. But then again, she had never believed she'd ever turn into a woman either and here she was. Maybe some reassurence is better than none.

* * *

><p>With a knock on the door, she waited a long moment before an old woman, with deep blue eyes that seemed as vast as an ocean, answered. And so Ezio choked back her nervous edge as she greeted evenly, "Bongiorno, Madam Annetta."<p>

The woman smiled, making a beauty mark near her lip vanish away under a wrinkle. "Ah, you mush be here to have your fortune told, darling." Then she grestured inside, her simple, yet lovely sea foam dress flowing as she side stepped to let her inside. "My goodness, you pour dear. I can already tell you've been through so much."

It wouldn't take a genius like Leonardo to pick up on that, since she was in a slightly torn dress and her hair was in a sloppy pony tail, which she hadn't bothered on fixing. It was all too clear that she had been struggling, at least recently.

Madam Annetta pulled a chair out for Ezio by a table covered by a midnight table cloth. With a gentle tone, she asked, "May I know your name, _Signorina_?"

Ezio nodded and took a seat, "Si, my name is Eliza." Though she had to force herself to not spit the name with disgust as it only gave her shame, reminding her that she wasn't herself.

"What a beautiful name." She commented as she ajusted the silky hood attatched to her dress. To her, the clothing kind of reminded her of Paola, with a long white braid. Just simplier. She sat down, with a leg crossed over the other as she knitted her fingers and looked to Ezio with a look that seemed just uncomfortable. Like she could see straight through her and know who she really was. Then she held out her hand. "May I see your palm, Eliza?"

Ezio held out her hand, letting Madam Annetta take it and run a well managed fingernail through one of the lines in her hand. Looking with interest at some of the scars that were already there. It almost made her uncomfortable, probably because here she was presenting her causoused palm, and this woman had smooth and unscaved hands.

"Hmm." Madam Annetta looked up after a long moment, her finger stopping somewhere on a line that looped around her thumb. "I see much travel in your future, a life without a perment home. Much distance you've already gone." Then she dragged her finger across to some line just above it, fuzed to the first at the beginning and parting away. Then she sighed, "From what your hand tells me, you're a smart, and headstrong person. Very self reliant. Her nail traced to a circle which marked around the middle, although there was one similar near the beginning, this one was slightly larger. "I see there will be mental confusion for you in years to come, something will happen that you will not be able to prevent. And it will stay with you for a long time." Her finger traced back to the first, "But as it seems, this has already happened before." Then she pointed out a few tiny lines scoring across the main one at a part, "Your desisions will be influced by others, and it already has been before." Then she moved up to the last line, one that was just above the first two, and cutting through to end near the nook of her index and middle fingers. "A strong heart, and it seems you have struggled with your emotions." She reached a point where the line was dashed by smaller. "It seems your fate has been dashed many of times, you've been hurt by people, and it's made it hard for you to believe in much because of it. And... you've lost so much."

She looked back to Ezio, meeting her unsteady look with a calm and assuring smile. "But I also see a long life, with success because your determination." Then she patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Eliza. From what I've found, you'll turn out alright, and none of it will be any worse than the first time, as it seems all of the troubles you have yet to see has possibly happened before in your life." Then she stood up, letting Ezio follow.

"But what does it mean?" Ezio asked. "You're saying that I'm going have more confusion in the future, that others will influence my judgement. Should I be worried?"

Madam Annetta shook her head, "Not in the slightest. It's your destiny, and what will happen may not be clear now, but you'll know soon." Then she lead Ezio to the door. "Now, my dear, I think you should be heading back, someone you know is worried about you." Ezio nodded, then she added before closing the door, "Oh, and there will also be a small stroke of luck to come to you. But I must warn you, a danger is in the near future, be weary of the dark."

Ezio nodded again, "_Gazie_, Madam Annetta. For everything." Then she started to walk back to the workshop. The sun nearing the horizon.

**Yup, Ezio went to a fortune teller. And when she said that "there will be mental confusion for you in years to come, something will happen that you will not be able to prevent. And it will stay with you for a long time", I know that you're all going to yell at me if I don't tell you. *cough cough* Leonardo dies *cough cough*  
>I got the idea after having my own palm read. I dunno, just a random thought that I think was interesting.<strong>


	23. Chapter 23

As Ezio was walking back to the workshop, her foot kicked at something. She looked down to see a dark pouch, and her eyes lit up a little, it was hers. She picked it up and looked inside, and surprisingly, it was just as much as before she had lost it! Then she smirked. If she had money, then she could get some more practical clothing. And as well, she was inwardly thanking Madam Annetta.

So she continued on, arriving to the workshop as the sun begun to sink behind the horizon. She openned the door and stepped inside. Upon hearing the door close, La Volpe looked up from his ready position on the couch, clear relief in the depths of his violet eyes. "Where were you?"

Ezio shrugged, "I said I was going out for a walk."

Volpe was on his feet in a matter of moments. "Did anyone do anything to you?"

Once again, Ezio causally shrugged a shoulder and shook her head, "Not really, why is it that you want to know?" Then she casted a look of suspition to Machiavelli, who now had his hand bandaged.

Machiavelli only shook his head in responce. "I had nothing to do with it. All that I know is that he kept pacing around until Leonardo finally got him to sit down."

Then Ezio glanced back to La Volpe, earning the answer, "I was just worried is all." Though it had done very little in convincing her.

Machiavelli then stood and grabbed the rope from the corner, "We're going to have to restrain Bartolomeo soon. The sun's almost down."

**Shortest chapter ever. I know. Don't hate on me. But I'll update really soon.  
>I'm ending the chapter here because I'm trying to decide on something and I don't want to look to one fan for their opinion. Some people have sent me messages requesting on more fluffy stuff. And I was thinking about putting some in here, maybe. But anyone who doesn't, please let me know, because I think it's too obvious who is gonna be victims of fluffiness. *glaring at Volpe and Ezio*<br>So please, let me know what you guys want, because I'm not sure if I should or not. I wanna get the fluff fans out of the way, but I'm worried that I might piss someone else off. Another thing, take into consiteration their predictiment. If anything, it'd be very one sided.**

**~Jadeah**


	24. Chapter 24

"Get out of here, Leonardo! We'll handle it!"

With that, the artist came to the very edge of the room, watching as Machiavelli launched at Bartolomeo, pulling the rope around his muzzle to clamp his mouth shut. Ezio and La Volpe both came in, the latter bounding the beast's hands together, while Ezio was grasping onto fur in order to keep Bartolomeo from moving.

Though this moment of control seemed to fall as Bartolomeo shook around, flinging Machiavelli off and into a wall! Ezio right after. La Volpe was then knocked over by his bound hands before the mercenary captain broke the bonds and rammed through the door, vanishing away into the night!

Machiavelli, who had left a bird-man sized imprint in the wall where he crashed, pulled up as looked back at the others. "He got away."

Ezio climbed up from behind the workbench, a hand rubbing her forehead briskly as she stared at the open door. Then she managed to stand. "Is everyone alright?"

Machiavelli nodded before both turned to look at La Volpe, who had knocked over furnature when he was thrown and now was laying on the floor with an endtable on top of him.

"Ow..."

Ezio stepped over the the trapped thief and looked down at him, he was staring up at her with a cut just below his eye and a line of blood from the corner of his mouth. With clear consern, Ezio asked, "Are you alright, _amico mio_?"

La Vope nodded, and as Ezio was about to pull the endtable off, La Volpe refused and pushed it off himself. Grunting as he came to a sit. Though he didn't seem to notice Ezio smirk, as he pulled his hood up and over his black hair and the fox ears. "Where'd he go?"

"He broke free." Machiavelli answered.

With this, La Volpe was on his feet, "Then we've got to catch! Before he eats someone else!

Ezio nodded and reclaimed the rope on the floor. "We don't want to hurt him. So no weapons."

With this, Machiavelli grumbled something before putting his sword away. Then noted in a clearly irritated and slightly worried tone, "He'll surely tear us to ribbons. He already nearly broke my wing twice and shoved me off a building."

Volpe had no arguments to this, and he nodded in obvious agreement. Leaving Ezio to wonder what the hell had happened to him giving the younger man the cold shoulder and not siding with him at all.

"Fine. But no attacking." Ezio grunted, clearly not in the mood to argue with the matter. "Stay your blade unless he attacks you."

Both men nodded as they all walked outside and followed the sounds of howling and the crackle of a crossbow firing.

* * *

><p>Violet eyes locked on the rooftops, La Volpe kept a grip on the hilt of a dagger, guessing how long it'd be before he was mauled. And with each crack of another bolt being let loose along with a snarl of a responce, he found himself growing more ridged and nervous.<p>

"He can't be far." Ezio murmered. Then she slung the rope onto her shoulder and started climbing up. "He must be on the roof."

Although any sain man would have told her that she was insane, she was so much the definition of "normal". Nor was he or Machiavelli. But regardless, the thief had some common sense, believe it or not. He hesitated before following. Ears pinned back under his hood as he could hear the sounds getting closer.

At the top, they could see Bartolomeo smack a guard and his claws hook into the unfortunate man! With a trail of crimson out of his throat, the guard was flung off of the red tile roof only to hit the cobberstone below. And now with no one nearby, Bartolomeo settled in a crouch, staring down over the edge and at the corpse below before starting to lap the blood from his claws.

La Volpe only stared speechless. How the hell was he suppost the catch him a SECOND time. The first time was simply luck! But that guard had probably shot fifthteen bolts at him and still didn't stand a chance!

Then a hand on his shoulder. He looked back over to see Machiavelli give him a slightly reassuring nod before following him forward. Ezio beside him as she readied the net.

The very moment they had gotten within a few yards of him, Bartomomeo sniffed the air breifly, then whipped up to face them. Lips curled up to bare jagged fangs, and amber eyes glinting in the low light. If it were possible, the look would have made even the most solid of men curl away in fear.

Then he charged! There was so little time to react as he threw Ezio off to the side and forced Machiavelli to take to the air! For La Volpe, he ended up skittering out of the way, only when he stopped behind the now beastly man did he realize something strange. He had been running on all fours.

Sparing a glance up at Machiavelli, he couldn't find him. Just a falcon circling above. _What the...? Where did he go?_

Then pain shot up his side as he was batted over, tumbling until he ending up laying on his back and a larger hand pinning him down. He could see the sharp teeth and feel hot breath on his face as he shut his eyes and swung his arms up with hopes of hitting the all too close muzzle.

Then he pulled away. He opened his eyes to see Bartolomeo swatting at that falcon as the raptor dove down and rakes it's talons across his muzzle. He spared a glance to Ezio to see her staring at him in complete shock. Jaw slag and eyes wide.

With a slight unbalanced stagger, he got up, finding that he was still on all fours. Now he looked down to his hands, then felt his heart stop when he saw black paws!

His attention was torn back to the fight as he heard a loud cry. There he saw Machiavelli, laying in a crippled heap on the ground. Ezio was holding a sword in perry as she took slow steps towards the philosopher.

Bartolomeo then swung his hair bound hand at her, knocking the sword out of her grip, at this moment, La Volpe lundged. Biting down onto his arm and clawing his side. Bartolomeo howl and swung around, only geting him to sink his teeth in deeper to hold on.

Then he swung again, and in an instant, agony exploded in his ribs as his mouth opened in a silent scream. He hit the ground and rolled off. Finding himself falling down.

Then he crashed, tumbling over and leaving the somewhat safety of the wooden platform before he smashed into the ground. The world hazy as a feeble whimper escaped as he shut his eyes.

**I know I was a little late on updating. I was on vacation in Gettysburg and I didn't have access to the net.**


	25. Chapter 25

Ezio could only stare with a mortified expression as La Volpe was flung over the edge, then she looked back to Bartolomeo. It was his fault! That was all too clear. He should be able to control himself, but he's hurting his friends!

Without second thought, she took hold of the sword she had lost and held it out to defend herself. "I know you're there, _amico mio_! You should be able to see what you're doing! You're hurting your friends!" Though how she had said "my friend" it was with such anger that her voice had shook.

This made Bartolomeo faulter, as if she had found the key to getting to him. He made something similar to a grunt as he lowered his arm. "S'ry."

This responce made her blink in slight surprise. But she still held her sword up and ready.

"S-sooory." He repeated, as if trying to get it to come out right. Then he kneeled down over Machiavelli, roughly turning him over. From what Ezio had seen, he had turned into an actual raptor as he took off, as well as La Volpe turning into a fox. When Bartolomeo had smacked him out of the air, he had just turned back to normal along with a puff of feathers, which now laid scathered around him. Of course he still had the wings.

There was one other thing she had to worry about. La Volpe had been sent straight over the edge. And it was four stories high of a drop. She only suspected the worst as she went to the edge, hoping that she wouldn't return to find Bartolomeo eating Machiavelli. With a heavy sigh, she climbed down and came to crouch beside the crippled heap that was her friend.

La Volpe laid limply on the cobblestone, curled in on himself with his tawny, black-tipped tail draped over his legs, and his hood down to reveil dull black hair, with the occastional strans of silver which shined in the pale moonlight and lanterns. Like Machiavelli, La Volpe had turned back to his normalish state upon impact.

Then she heard a thud behind her, and turned around to see Bartolomeo standing there with a limp bird-man in his arms. It seemed that the realization that he had hurt his friends was enough to knock some sense back in his thick skulled head.

"I'll carry La Volpe back, just hold onto Machiavelli. Alright?" She waited until the beast-turned mercenary nodded. Then she gathered up the heap that was Volpe before starting back to the workshop.

* * *

><p>She laid La Volpe down while Bartolomeo settled Machiavelli on the chair. Leonardo was out as he started to see to the two. With this, Ezio sat down at the edge of the couch as she whipped a thumb at the trail of blood that ran down the older man's chin. She found herself murmering, "Please don't die..." Over and over. Hoping that maybe he'd hear and hold onto life.<p>

Then a groan.

Ezio looked up to see Machiavelli pull a hand up to his face as he grunted heavily. Clearly half awake. "Wha' happened?" He asked, his words slurred from a mix of haziness and pain.

Ezio sighed, "You and La Volpe were both smacked to the ground when we had to fight Bartolomeo."

Upon hearing the answer, Machiavelli was rubbing his temples with his thumb and index, his other arm hanging limply off the side of the chair. "I feel awful..."

For this, Ezio had no reply. No reassuring words. Nothing. She only kept silent as she turned her half distant gaze back down the the partly-fox thief laying beside her. She knew that the total still he had wasn't normal, he would normally be turning over and move a lot in his sleep. Her only reassurance was the almost faint pulse she could feel from his wrist. Aside from that, he was breathing extrememly shallowly.

"How bad is Volpe?"

The question pulled Ezio out of her thoughts. And she shook her head slowly. "H-he hit the ground hard. I don't know how bad of shape he's in..."

Machiavelli nodded. "And Bartolomeo?"

Ezio only pointed to mentioned beast-man who was crouching in the corner looking with dazed amber eyes as Leonardo started to see to Machiavelli's wounds. He was lapping at his shoulder with a broke bolt by his feet. She'd have to help get the rest of the bolts out.

Machiavelli didn't ask any other questions, just grunted through Leonardo cleaning his wounds. When he was finished, he sighed and forced himself to stand as he moved the chair closer the couch so he could see La Volpe. Meanwhile, Leonardo was seeing to how badly the fall had injuried the theif.

"There's a few broken ribs and a couple bruised ones." Leonardo imformed as he worked, carefully pulling clothes out of the way to see the extent. But no one could truely bare the sight of Volpe's torse, heavily bruised the the point where it had turned dark purple. Machiavelli looked away while Ezio closed her eyes, Leonardo could only sigh. Another long moment later, he pulled the tunic back down, going straight to pulling the hood out of the way. This lead to the discovering of a shallow gash on his forhead, but not much else other than a couple bumps and scratches. "The gash might be of a little consern, maybe. Aside from that, there's just a bunch of scrapes and bruises."

Ezio nodded, her hand finding Volpes as she held on, not wanting to leave his side.


	26. Chapter 26

He found himself in nothingness, pitch black nothing. With cold all around him. No way out. Not at all. What so ever. **Now wash your hands. Just kidding.** All he could do was sit there, huddling up in his cape as he fought for warmth. But by now, he had decided that the dark was better than actually sleeping. He only saw the pain he had witnessed play back over and over again, and he saw his friends fall. By now he wasn't sure what was real and what was just his imagination.

With ears pinned back, he hugged his knees and hid his face away, consealing the tears he shed.

* * *

><p>Ezio looked down to La Volpe. The thief in question was still out, and still not moving. And all she wanted to do was to grab him by the shoulders and shake him around until he snapped out of it. But she was aware that it wouldn't help. The best would be to wait and hope that he'll wake up soon.<p>

"Ezio, I'd hate to rush you, but we still have to attempt to fix these problems." Leonardo told her. She nodded, and followed him to the workbench. By now the artist had shrunk to about the size of a six year old. Which made pulling himself up on his stool all the harder for him. Ezio helped a little.

"We should try to touch it again."

Ezio again nodded and placed her hand onto the golden surface, only getting a little flicker of light. Then she sighed, it was pointless.

Before she could tell, Machiavelli and Bartolomeo, who had went back to his normal state for the day, were standing beside her.

"Do you think that it might be because there's more people other than us who are effected by this damned thing?" Bartolomeo asked.

Leonardo looked to him, as if he was holding a answer to life or something, and exclaimed excitedly, "You might be right! But who else would possibly be changed at all from the Apple? All I know is that we are."

Bartolomeo shrugged, "Just an idea."

Machiavelli smiled, "Well it's a better explaination than what we already have."

"But one thing," Ezio cut in. "Who else might have been able to get close enough to the Apple to be changed in any way?"

Leonardo put a hand on his chin a moment, pondering this. "That might be the tricky part."

Machiavelli was too busy think to answer right away, then started counting them off on his fingers. "Mario. Claudia and Maria maybe?"

Ezio glanced at him. "Why are you only counting my family in this? Mario's dead, so unless the Apple brought him back, I don't think he counts. And I'm not sure if Claudia or my mother are changed in any way."

Machiavelli glared a moment before sighing, "Well I don't see you coming up with any ideas."

Ezio returned to glare, then she had it! Who else could possibly be effected by the Apple! She knew!

* * *

><p>Lucrezia was walking down the hall to the library. The last place she remembered her brother going. For some reason, he hadn't come out in almost a day, and she was beginning to wonder.<p>

As she opened the door, she immidiantly knew something was wrong. For one, there was a couple books which were littered across the floor, another was that Cesare was no where to be seen. With slight worry, she called into the apparently empty study, "Cesare? Are you here?"

Then a groan. She came towards the source behind one of the lacy red chairs, nervous about what she'd end up finding. But now she was wondering why she had to be right.

Crouching on the ground was some creature, with bone spikes coming out of where it's spine was. It-not he looked up with reddened eyes and and a completely horrified expression. But even if he looked different, she still knew who he was.

"C-Cesare?"

He only looked back down, hugging his knees to his chest as a long and slim black tail curled over his feet. His voice came out in a small whisper, like a fearful child. "Just go... Please..."

Dispite the request, she didn't, instead, she took him by the wrist and pulled him up to his feet. "No, we're going to find you some help before someone sees you like this."

Though Cesare looked doubtful, he didn't make any attempts to argue.

"How did this happen?" She asked as they hurried out.

"I think it might have something to do with Piece of Eden."

"But the _Assassini_ took it." Lucrezia pointed out, casting him a questioning look.

Cesare shook his head, "I don't know, maybe it's a delayed reaction." He then remembered back about a week again, he had shot Ezio, who had turned into a woman. It was strange, but he had figured that he might have been messing around. "It turned that Auditore _bastardo_ into a woman, who's to say it didn't effect me and that this is natural."

For that, his sister had no responce.


	27. Chapter 27

There was a heavy knock on the door, which made Ezio look up, who, other than people who have commissions Leonardo should be doing, would show up at the door at next to midnight. She was both too exhausted and too sore to go check. The main reason was trying to keep his beastly friend from excaping again. Luckily Bartolomeo had somewhat controlled himself, only somewhat because he had lost it for five minutes until he regained himself. So this time around, they didn't need the rope. Or the net. Or her crossbow.

But who else to answer other than Leonardo, dispite being child size now, he didn't seem to think anything of it. Like anyone would just accept that the Apple was shrinking him. Hell, Ezio thought it was extremely freaky, and she'd of hated to imagine what a _normal_ person would think.

Listening carefully, she managed to identify Leonardo's, as well as two others. Both too scarily familiar.

She made no hesitation to grip a dagger from the table and start to creep up, ready to stab the Borgia in the throat. Upon reaching the back of the door, she got ready to attack. When something happened. The door shut a little before slamming back and making her stumble forward and crash into a table, but she held back a shreik of pain as her shin smacked into the table leg.

Leonardo turned and looked back at her as she stood and rubbed her slightly bruised leg. "What were you doing?"

Ezio put on a scowl, which if she was still a man, then any sain man would have run like hell, in her current state, it looked more like a 'shut the fuck up or I'll crotch kick you' kind of expression. "Who's at the door?"

Leonardo sighed slightly and let Ezio come in to see. She only set a stone cold look, showing that she wasn't in the mood for bullshit.

There stood Cesare, with a cloak on, which he held closed in the front. As if he was worried for someone to see him...? But that didn't make much sense. Next to him was his sister, who's features held worry and anxiety. This really didn't make any sense to her, why would Cesare be hiding himself, and why would Lucrezia be so stressed out?

"What do you want?" Though the question in itself spoke her mistrust and anger beginning to fire up, just the sour and solid tone in which she spoke it only made the message abundantly clear that she didn't want them near here.

Lucrezia was first to answer. "We need help."

This made Ezio, who already had her arms crossed, raise an eyebrow. _Help? But for what?_

Before she could retort to her, Leonardo came in with. "What seems to be the trouble?"

Upon the question, Lucrezia looked to Cesare, who was looking down at his feet the entire time. Then the General grunted before pulling the cloak off. Both Leonardo and Ezio were shocked when they saw bone spikes lining the center of his back, the grayed skin, and reddened eyes. Guessing by the darker gray circles under his eyes, they could guess that he hadn't slept.

It took a moment before Leonardo was able to answer, though his voice was polite, there was a hint of mistrust and shock still inbedded. "The Apple of Eden effected you as well?"

Cesare nodded, returning his gaze to the ground, as if he was honest to god regreting the things he had done to make them so cold to him. But Ezio wasn't so easily fooled.

"And what makes you think we're helping you?" She hissed. "After all the shit you've put us through? Why not you go and try to s-!"

"Ezio." Leonardo cut in, a hand on her forearm as he gave a warning look to quit while she was ahead. Though in his current size, it looked rather adorable. He then looked back up to Cesare. "I'm sorry, but my iltempered friend has a point. How do we know you aren't going to steal the Apple as soon as we manage to fix this issue of yours?"

Cesare shook his head. And then he said in a voice that sounded so defeated and broken, that they were surprised he wasn't crying, "I won't..." But once again, Ezio, being the paranoid person she was, didn't see it anything other than an act. It took the next sentence that past the General for her to actually question if she was only clinging onto the past. "I am sorry, and that I'm honest of... but I understand why you think I'm lying." He then was about to turn to leave, by Leonardo spoke up.

"No, wait. We'll help you. Isn't that right, Ezio?"

She grunted, receiving a glance from Leonardo. Then she sighed. "Fine. But the moment he does anything to harm us, I get to rip his insides out through his eye sockets."

Cesare visibly stiffened for all of a few seconds, possibly seeing the threat play through his mind. "You have my word, _bastardo_."

Ezio clenched her hands to fists as she glared at him. "You shouldn't be talking." Was her simple yet sharp retort. Unfortunately for Cesare, she was right.

Alright, Ezio knew this would be a long stay with her friend.


	28. Chapter 28

Pain.

With a few muttered curses, he forced the fog of sleep away bringing him to feel the sore and ache which wrecked his entire body. Why did he hurt so much? And what exactly happened? It took him some thinking before he could bring back small fragments of some fight. And that he was thrown off the side of a building.

Just another day in the life that the thief lived in.

La Volpe cracked open his eyes, and groaned as the light filtering through the window was all too blindingly bright, resulting in a steady throb of a headache. He was quick to bring a hand to his face, immidiantly touching fevered, sweat soaked skin. If he could see his own face, he'd know how his cheeks were heated until a light scarlet.

Dispite the fact he felt he was sweating, he was cold. And as soon as he had managed to ajust to the light, he still had a heavy blur in his vision. Regardless, he still tried to sit up, until white hot pain flared in his chest and sides, what would of been a scream came out as a shuddery gasp.

Then a hand on his shoulder, he looked up to barely make out a woman's face. Upon meeting her eyes, he heard her say, "Please, just rest." So he let himself lay down again, breathing shallowly because it hurt too much to yawn or even take a deep breath.

The woman continued, "Everyone else is asleep." Which made him confused, it was day time right? Why were they all asleep? Then the hand begun to trail up and away, the area on his shoulder where it had rested breifly seemed frozen now without the extra warmth from her. "How do you feel?"

"I'll live." He answered simply. "Just sore is all."

"La Volpe?"

He hummed as a responce, unable to come up with anything else to say. Clearly his vocabulary had failed him with his foggy mind and the now dulling down ache in his rib cage.

"Do you have feelings for me or something?" She asked. Almost seeming to force it out as if it were all so very awkward just bringing it up.

He craned his neck a little so he could see her standing over him, gazing down with knowing gold eyes. "If you mean that I care about you, then yes."

There was a moment where neither spoke a word, the only sound was the gentle snore of those around them. Until she questioned, "But what do you mean by that?"

He shook his head, shutting his eyes with a sigh. "I don't know... I don't know how I feel about you." Before he could even comprehend it, he was rambling and unable to stop the steady flow of words coming from him. "I mean, I like you, but I don't know in what way. I don't know how I should and... I don't know if it's right to like you in some ways that I keep thinks. It's just confusing and... I just don't know..."

Once he relized that Ezio hadn't responded to this, he had started to panic. Had she left, thinking he had gone insane? The turrent of questions were suddenly set to a halt as a hand, so much smaller than he knew it should have been, and so delicate that he was afraid that if he put even the slightest of pressure that it would shatter, took hold of his own. He looked up again, violet eyes meeting gold as he was at a lose of words.

With her free hand, Ezio brushed her bangs out of the side of her face and behind an ear, not looking away for a second. "Maybe no one has to know." Then her fingers brushed out from beneath his palm and up his wrist. "Or maybe this can just be a one time sort of thing and the moment I'm myself everything will be back to normal."

"Ezio, are you suggesting that-?" He found himself cut off as a small kiss was laid on his cheek.

"Is this why you've been so strange around me, Volpe?" She asked, her voice so calm and gentle that it was all to inviting.

It took a moment to asked as he seemed too stunned by the skin where Ezio had kissed him seemed to tingle with a burn. Was he... blushing? "I guess it is... Is- is it a bad thing that I'm not denying any of this? I mean, we shouldn't, should we? This isn't right. At all. And..." At least this time he was able to stop himself from saying the rest of his thoughts outloud. What was with him today? He couldn't help but babble like a senseless idiot around her now. His inner thoughts nagged at him, knowing that what ever it was he was feeling towards his now womanly friend was wrong, and that it couldn't last. But yet, another part, which seemed so caught up in this moment alone only wanted all of it. Wanted to admit it, and wanted to give into his own feelings. _Get a hold of yourself! This shouldn't be happening!_

"La Volpe?"

"Yes?"

"You find this very awkward, don't you?"

"I thought you would."

"I know. It's just strange." She then leaned in closer, just so her face was right infront of him now as she was pulled over him. "This is all confusing, and I feel things I don't remember feeling. Is it wrong? I don't know."

"Ezio, I-." But he was without words. There was nothing he could say as the younger moved away.

"It's alright, _amico mio_." She was walking down the hall now, but she turned breifly as she added. "I don't want to make you do anything that we may both regrete later."

Was that it? For some reason, he kept looking back at the longing which her voice held, as if she had wanted him to answer more honestly than he had, and for him not to hold back on his opinion on this. But yet, he was wonder as well, why did they both feel this way, and was it suppost to happen this way? Whatever was causing this, was this it's intent? He couldn't be sure.

All that was certain was the realization that dropped like a stone in the pit of his stomach. He had a chance to get what he seemed to desire for some reason, and he turned it down.

**Yeah, ending here. Had a fluffyish moment here. I'd of made this go even farther, but I decided on making it extremely awkward and Volpe babbling. From a majority of you, you wanted me to keep Ezio a girl for the fluffiness. I can't say I blame you.  
>Now, I will also add, that there is a LOGICAL EXPLAINATION for their sudden attraction and such. And you'll find out soon.<strong>

**Oh and another thing, I posted a bunch of chapters and I don't know if you guys are reading or not (cause I'm not getting any feedback), if you all suddenly don't like this fic then let me know so I can end it now and stop your torture.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Thanks peoples, glad to hear at least a couple of you want me to continue. I'll keep going.**

Machiavelli looked down from where he was standing, now slightly regreting his choice in seeing to his change further. This would probably be like jumping in front of a dozen panicked horses. Stupid. Very, very stupid.

With a heavy breath, he jumped, immediantly spreading out his wings and stroking them down to push him upwards. And once he felt slightly safer at the new found altitude, he sighed with releif at the fact that he wasn't about to plummet to the Earth and break every last bone in his body.

As he streaked through the early morning air, he glanced down at the rooftops not so very far below. The sight of dawn patrol let him know that he should probably return to the workshop. With a simple tilt, he swoped around and downwards, angling himself as he descended so he could hit the ground on his feet. He thankfully did, ending up stumbling a couple steps forward as he tucked his wings in close to his back again.

Before even thinking for walking back, he looked over his shoulder and tucked the wings back into his coat, one twitched as he worked to get them in a comfortable position under the heavy fabric. "This certainly will take some getting used to."

Now on his way back, he looked back up to the air, wishing he could try to fly like that later today, when the warm air would help him, but it would be too dangerous. As someone might see him.

Behind him, he could hear a couple voices, though he couldn't make out exactly what they were saying, he merely dismissed it as nothing. Maybe just civilians simply having a conversation. But he should have known better. They were following him.

Then a heavy slam!

He stumbled forward as he now saw that those two who he had heard were actually guards! Did he miss something? What the hell did he-? Then he started cursing to himself, they must have seen his wings! Damn it! Damn it! God freaking damn it!

"Looks like we've got ourselves a little goose." One chuckled.

Machiavelli didn't wait, he stood up and started to run, needing to get away! Then he brought out his wings, leaping upand stumbling as he couldn't get the lift he required to take off into the air! He'd have to find another way up. So he turned and kept running, jumping again before launching over one of the seven hills of Rome. It was more than enough, and now he was able to take to the air!

With a sudden burst of pain, he couldn't even comprehend what had happened as he started to drop! His luck, he landed in a hay bale and stumbled out, now running on foot as he reach for a crossbow bolt sticking out of his back. But it didn't take long for the guards to catch up to him.

"This should be of something that Cesare might want to see." The second guard noted with a smirk.

Though Machiavelli knew something they didn't, Cesare was with Leonardo, trying to have himself changed back to normal. But if he told them that, this could only worsen his situation. His best chance? Try to escape!

He got back up and took off again, wings stretched to their full extent as he thrusted them down hard enough to send him upwards, then he kept doing it, beginning to lift was still a chance that maybe he could get away! At least that's what he thought, until his ankle was grabbed and he was forced downwards, landing heavily on the ground! His leg stinging harshly.

What happened next only seemed to be the beginning to his troubles. With a brutal snap, a strangled cry escaped as one of his wings were unceremoniously broken! He had to get away and fast or else he'd find himself battered and dragged to the Vatican.

No matter how much he'd of loved to of taken off and leave them on the ground, he couldn't, he was now once again a victim to gravity. So he kicked away and scrambled up, now running to escape them. He turned and tripped down an alley way and then through a courtyard. He then hid behind a wall as he fought heavily for breath. His hand drasping at his chest, where he felt like it was being tightened and squeezed. Then swallowed hard with a quiet gasp.

As soon as he was sure the coast was clear, he started to limp back to the workshop. And when he made it to the door, he sighed and opened it, pulling himself inside as everyone inside looked up at him in his battered state.

Leonardo had his notebook out and was in the middle of scrawling out something as his hand was on the Apple. Probably he was studying it again.  
>Ezio and La Volpe were quietly talking on the couch. Once again, La Volpe was laying on his back and Ezio was sitting on his stomach. When he had walked in, Volpe had practically flipped over to see him.<br>Bartolomeo was sitting and staring at the two curiously.  
>And a brooding Captain General Borgia was seated in the corner. Nor did he even look up when Machiavelli had walked in.<p>

"Niccolo. W-what happened?" Ezio seemed stunned, completely stunned as her gaze traveled across the limp and oddly bent wing and down to his leg. Which he had now realized was bleeding with a deep gash.

"It was the guards." Machiavelli answered in monotone, taking a point on the chair. Cesare had looked up from what he had said. "They saw my wings and assualted me."

Leonardo was over to him alright, cleaning the gash on his leg. "And did they say anything?"

"Only that they were going to bring me to a certain someone." Machiavelli made sure to glare at the Borgia who now was sinking lower on the floor, as if trying to be as small as possible.

"Cesare didn't change at all." Ezio stated, but her tone was a cool and even, sending chills up Machiavelli's spine. Last time he heard her speak like this, she ended up almost killing the person she was angry at. "We shouldn't have trusted him from the beginning. And now his guards had hurt you. We can't be this stupid to let him stay."

**Yeah. I'm don't with this chapter. And Cesare's fate is to be desided.**

**Oh, and I'm also working on a long fanfic. I'm going to let you all know when I post the first chapter. But here's a little sneak peak!**

**_It couldn't be happening like this! He refused to believe it! As he ran away from Templar agents, tears mixed with his blood and rolled down his cheeks. He had watched the only person he could ever care about be slaughtered! And he couldn't help him!_**

**_He turned and vanished into an alleyway, and listened as Templars lost him. As soon as he was sure the coast was clear, the last of his resolve broke and he buried his face in his hands as he sobbed out his friend's name. Why couldn't he save him? He wasn't fast enough. And he wasn't strong enough. He had failed. Failed the mission. Failed his teacher. And more importantly to him, failed his friend. And while he cried, his mind was back to the beginning..._**

**The fanfic is centered around two of Ezio's recruits. Hope you guys read it when I post the first chapter!**


	30. Chapter 30

"I don't see how we can't trust him." She repeated. Though it took every last ounce of self control not to jump and slit his throat now, her voice was strangely calm and cold. Like a bitter wind on a winter night.

Leonardo looked from Ezio to Cesare. Clearly he was on the verge of siding with her. Menawhile Bartolomeo was about ready to take hold of his sword while La Volpe and Machiavelli where both glaring at Cesare. Machiavelli looking in worse shape than anything she had ever seen him in.

"We shouldn't trust him, and he should just leave." She concluded. Golden eyes narrowed and a peircing gold.

Cesare though had stood up, matching her glare as he pulled out a gun! Oh of course, she was right! She was RIGHT! "I only wanted to turn back to normal! But if I'm going to be accused, then I might as well take down the source with me!"

Then he fired.

* * *

><p>Ezio found himself jump up to a sit in a matter of seconds. A sheen of sweat covering him as he touched his chest, now surprised to feel that instead of clevage, he had pecks again. Then went to touch his cheek, finding the light stubble and beard.<p>

It was quiet a long moment before there was a knock on the door.

"Ezio? Is everything alright in there?"

He looked up, a smile grew on his face before vanishing again. Machiavelli was hurt! "I- I'm fine!"

The door opened to reveil his friend, in perfect shape and no wings what so ever. He seemed puzzled. "What's wrong? Did you-? ACK!" He wasn't allowed to even finish his sentence as he was tackle hugged. "E-Ezio? What's with you? You're acting like I just came back from the dead or something."

Ezio then pulled away. "Nothing of consern, Niccolo. Just some all too realistic nightmare."

He then walked away. Leaving a million questioned unanswered as he himself tried to sort out what the hell happened. His mind struck the fact that he had kissed La Volpe, and sudden repulse struck his features. "I am not ever going to love a man." He grumbled. At least he was a woman in that case. It didn't mean he was gay. Or at least, he hoped it didn't.

**Surprise! I was gonna conclude the story anyways! I figured this was all one freaky ass dream and Ezio just wakes up after being shot. And I didn't have any other ideas for this particular fanfic.  
>Hope you guys liked it! And be sure to see my neeeeew fanfic "Like Brothers".<strong>

**Ciro: Because you have NO life at all.**

**Me: I HAVE A LIFE!**

**Xavier: Is that why you're writing a bromance about us?**

**Me: Bu-wha'...? NOOOOOOOOOOO! *punches Xavier***

**Ezio: I'M BACK!**

**Machiavelli: So I never had wings?**

**Bartolomeo: Not a wolf thing and I didn't hurt my friends! I'll take it!**

**La Volpe: YES! IT NEEEVAHHHH HAPPENED! I'mma still straight! Now where's that Madiam?**

**Me: AHHHHH RANDOMNEEESSSSSSSS! *brain explodes***

**Ciro: I'll go get the mop... -_-;**


End file.
